To Be the One
by Pasts-Hormony2
Summary: Dramione veela - Draco figures out things about his heritage... And that his six year enemy, Hermione Granger is his Mate, the person he'll be with for the rest of his life... Joy... But he may not even get her and tragically die on his birthday...?
1. Prologue

This is the prologue for my new story, 'To Be the One'. It is a romance, a veela story, and an angst/drama all rolled in one. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

Summary: Draco finds out that he is part veela, and is horrified at the thought of being strapped to one person. Until he finds that certain person is the head girl, Hermione Granger, a secret "crush" of his for quite some time now. But Hermione has other ideas than just giving in to Draco and letting him have her, she needs to be earned. Well, it would help if Draco were to tell her about being a veela…

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**Prologue**

'**A Secret'**

The tall blonde woman stood from her chair in her dining hall and moved towards the library. Her son was nowhere to be found, so she picked up a handful of floo powder and threw it into her fireplace.

"Dumbledore's office." Her voice rang clear against the cold stone walls.

The fire turned a vibrant green then dissipated into nothing. The whole world around her swayed as she finally stopped at her destination, her footsteps telling of her arrival. Odd whizzing noises came from various odd looking machines and trinkets. A small glass bowl was filled with licorice bites and the room had an aura of warmth and security.

"Ah… Narcissa, my dear, what may I do for you?" A hollow, ready sounding voice called as Narcissa Malfoy turned on her heel to face the headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Dumbledore." She nodded her head politely; she felt the need to hold no qualm against the man even if her late husband had been a death eater. The older man raised his right eyebrow and motioned for the woman to sit. He waved his hand and a tea set was conjured up. Dumbledore silently poured himself some tea after asking her what she wanted in hers.

"Just a touch of cream please." The man happily obliged and added cream to her dark, earl tea.

She gracefully took a sip of her tea before placing it back on his large oak desk. Sensing her slight apprehension, Dumbledore spoke first. "Why is it that you are here Narcissa?" His voice wasn't prodding, it was merely gently imploring of her reasons for meeting with him.

Narcissa sighed and folded her hands over her crossed legs. "It's about Draco." Dumbledore had expected that much.

He simply looked on and Narcissa took his silence as a sign to go on.

"I've found something out about him." She sounded strained and tired but by the look on her face, the news she was about to tell him wasn't terrible. "When I was younger I was told that I was part veela, but it was a recessive quality in me. And when I married Lucius," Narcissa winced at the sound of his name rolling freely off her tongue. "I found that he also had the veela gene dormant in him. But it seems that since the gene had skipped both Lucius and I, that Draco has it dominantly in him."

Dumbledore nodded slightly, his wise eyes solemn as he regarded Narcissa's defeated looking figure. No shock crossed his features though, for both of Draco's parents had the features of veela in them, this news came as no surprise to him. Dumbledore set his tea down silently and stood to face the window behind him. His eyes roved over the Scottish hills and mountains beyond the castle. But his mind was elsewhere.

Dumbledore knew of veelas and of part-veelas too, but he hadn't had one as a student in a long time.

"I just wanted to tell you this in case something happens. I don't know if his mate will be here or not, but if that person is, it might explain behavior that may arise from him."

Ah, yes, the veela behaviors. They seemed primal sometimes, like the need to smell their mate and to mark them. But others were nearly normal male behavior when around the opposite gender; possessiveness, and feeling the need to protect. A veela loved their mate unconditionally and was the most important person to their mate almost always. Sometimes the mere sight of their mate, if unmarked, with another of the opposite gender would make them see red. But the most dangerous part of having veela blood was the fate the veela would get if their mate didn't accept them; death. A veela would die of heartbreak on the night of their 17th birthday if their mate didn't accept them, let them mark their mate, and consummate a physical relationship with them.

"Yes. Thank you for telling me. I promise that while he is here, I'll keep a close eye on him. And even if his mate is here, he wouldn't hurt them." Dumbledore's voice was cool as his eyes slid back to the pale woman who seemed more relaxed.

"Thank you." Narcissa was grateful to have someone who could watch her son and make sure he didn't do anything stupid even when she couldn't.

Narcissa stood and took some floo powder and headed back to her home where her son was waiting for her.

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A/N: This is my first veela fanfiction, as well as my first Harry Potter fanfiction, so tell me if anything is not sizing up with the book other than the plot. The plot is mine.

Please review to tell me if you loved it, hated it, or want more of it. I want at least 10 reviews before I move on to the next chapter. I only want to write stuff people want to read. Any questions or requests you have will be answered in chapter one, but only if I get 10 reviews! Thanks!


	2. Falling Into Place

Thank you so much to those who reviewed: Goldenangel121, guardgirl414, devdev2013, RoseRedMisery, project gotham, and HABanks. The first six reviewers get prizes!!! I do so hope you like Draco plushies! Pass them around children!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling have reign over that world of chaos. I do own the plot, which seems a bit cliché now, but I trust you will find it a bit different from other veela Draco x Hermione stories! Anyone who feels like I have copied them or something they read, please tell me. I'm trying to be original, but there is only so many ways to begin a veela story.

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**Chapter 1**

'**Falling Into Place'**

Narcissa groaned as she looked at the time. It was late, _he _was late. Well.... they weren't truly late; she just preferred to be punctual. "Draco!" She gritted her teeth lightly and threw her blonde hair over one shoulder, smoothing out wrinkles in her muggle clothes. She had grown quite fond of wearing something other than the overly aristocratic robes her husband had wanted her to wear.

Footsteps pounded as Draco trudged into the room, looking dejected at having to go back to school. That made Narcissa smile; it was just like when he was younger except for his physical differences. Especially that unruly hair of his. It had grown over two inches in a week and she was going insane over it. She liked his hair shorter; it made him look less like his cruel father.

All of his bags were shrunken to fit in his pocket, hidden by his robes that were over his dark slacks and oxford. Draco pushed his hair out of his face and sighed getting out his wand, ready to apparate to platform 9¾. His mother followed suit and the two of them landed right where they had wanted to be. The platform was overrun with laughing students, doting mothers and squawking owls.

Narcissa stepped back to look at her son and bit her lip, looking very nervous. She moved her hand a nudged his hair out of his eyes once more and smiled guiltily; as if she were holding a secret. She ran her thumb over his cheek and he smiled back at her lightly. Lately she had been more affectionate to him, trying to make up for lost time when she wasn't allowed to be soft on him. She bit her lower lip again and moved away from him.

"What's worrying you mum? It's safe at Hogwarts, I'll be fine." He looked at his mother and saw her face flit with more guilt. What was she keeping from him?

"Oh, I know Draco." Her voice sounded as if she were trying to void herself of emotions. Draco sighed and kissed his mum's cheek before rolling his eyes at her childishness. If she was sad about not seeing him, then she had nothing to worry about. He was head boy, Draco was sure he could coax Dumbledore into letting him visit his mother.

Draco's eyes wandered across the platform to see if there was anyone he knew… or in his matter, someone he wanted to associate with. Something in Draco willed him to look to his right and there he saw the golden trio; Weasley, Potter and Granger.

Then everything shifted and Draco felt as if everything was moving in slow motion around him before it all stopped completely. His breath quickened and he felt warmer than he had only a moment ago. Did someone do something with the heat? It was becoming more uncomfortable and Draco wasn't sure what to do. He felt his pulse shoot through his body quickly and almost painfully. It felt like he was pulsating each time his heart beat, making him dizzier by the second.

Narcissa looked at her son and saw him shake slightly before he leaned on her for support which she happily gave him. It was why she was here after all, for support, whether it be moral or physical. But she wasn't sure if she could take him going to school and not knowing what was wrong with his mind and body. Narcissa deduced that the only possibility for Draco to feel somewhat comfortable was if he knew of his veela genes.

"Draco, I need to tell you something." But Draco hardly heard what she said. "Draco, love, I have to tell you something important and I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." Draco pushed through the hazy fog which tried to grip at him like vines from the whomping willow.

Narcissa saw her sons eyes clear up some and she went on with what she should have said much earlier. She just wanted to protect Draco, but she was seeing from his veela reactions that he would need to know what was going on with his body and mind. She didn't want her son to have a nervous breakdown when he started to desire some girl without knowing why.

"Draco, love, you know what veelas are?" Draco simply nodded in understanding, so Narcissa kept going. "Well, Draco, I am part veela as was your father. But it wasn't dominant in either of us… So it's dominant in you. You have some veela blood in you Draco, and that is what is reacting right now. It seems you've sighted your mate."

Draco pushed away from his mother who looked hurt.

"VEELA?!"

How could she have not told him this earlier? It was very important. He knew about veelas and how they had a mate whom they bit and protected, but how could his own mother not mention that he had veela in him? That wasn't the sort of thing that just slipped from one's mind!

Several people looked over at Draco as if he were crazy. And right at this moment, he felt a bit mad.

One of those people was Granger. And he knew she was looking without even turning around; the feel of her eyes on him was different than everyone else's. It made him feel important and needed. Just like he needed her. Draco's mind called for her, his body wanting to be close to her. The last shred of sanity in his head was wondering he wanted to be closer to mudblo--- He couldn't finish the word without his head throbbing.

Draco turned and his eyes met hers. That horrible lurching feeling came back, but this time full force. The next thing Draco felt was the cold, hard ground. His mother pulled him to his feet and helped him to a bench near them. Draco could faintly hear Weasley laughing his head off and he grumbled slightly having Weasley see him at one of his weak moments. Draco hoped that Weasley soiled himself; after all he deserved the humiliation more than Draco did.

Narcissa leaned Draco's head on her shoulder and stroked his soft hair lightly, humming without even realizing it. Draco closed his eyes as his senses heightened. There was an unbelievably sweet scent coming from somewhere and there was also the piggish snorting still coming from Weasley, but now the very sound was magnified. He could hear separate chords in his obnoxious laugh. And then there was the purest sound he had ever heard; Hermione's voice.

"I wonder if he's okay. People don't normally just faint like that." Draco felt himself being drawn to that sound, to _her_, like a moth to an incessant flame.

"Did you see him? I'm sure he's fine. He has his mummy singing to him like the little child he is." Normally Draco would've hexed the face off the ugly git, but he was too enraptured by the need to go be near Hermione. Potter chuckled lightly but didn't join in on Weasley's overkill laughing festival. But Hermione spoke quietly.

"He looks in pain." There was no malice in her voice, but a slight air of indifference. Hermione still didn't like him. And Draco didn't blame her; he had spent the better part of his six Hogwarts years tormenting her and her knot of witless friends. Now Draco felt like the stupidest person alive; how could he have done all those things to her? Like calling her a mudblood. He shuddered as he remembered being so cruel to her. She was too good to be called that or anything bad that is. He could care less about Potter and Weasley.

"Ron's right, Malfoy will be fine." Potter reassured her by placing his hand on her shoulder lightly. Draco watched as she smiled lightly at him and he felt heat build up in him, raging like a fire that needed to be put out in fear of taking everything down with it. Draco fought to stand but his mother's arms were restraining him. And he really didn't want to hurt his mother. Then she would say he reminded her of Lucius and Draco wanted nothing more than to never be compared to that bastard. And he wanted Hermione right now too.

"Draco, you don't want to scare her when you go to her with your eyes pure black as you rip him off her." Draco un-tensed slightly knowing his mother was right. He didn't want Hermione to run away, he wanted her to want to be near him. Draco watched her board that train and felt the need to chase after her and touch her hand, her cheek, her lips. Anything. His shoulders slumped as he looked after her like a lost puppy.

What was becoming of him? Where was the Malfoy pride that was meant to keep girls kissing the ground he walked on; not the other way around.

"Who is she exactly?"

Draco turned to his mother, alarmed. Did she not read the _Daily Prophet_?

"Hermione Granger." He held back the need to go on and on about how wonderful she was, but found it difficult. "She's head girl." He said proudly while smiling after where Hermione had been standing minutes ago.

"The muggleborn? Friend of Harry Potter and that Weasley? Curly haired and dated Viktor Krum?" Narcissa said mock unbelievingly. She had known well who the girl was. The very girl her son had mentioned once or twice while not meeting her gaze. He liked her even before all the veela mess. Narcissa sighed happily knowing it wasn't some stupid, narrow-minded and sleazy girl who would take advantage of her son's undying attention. Instead it was a strong willed, pretty, smart girl who could smack him in the back of the head when needed.

Draco growled at the mention of Krum. There had been rumors that he had been using Hermione somehow. It had bugged him before, but now it made Krum number one on his list of people to kill. Right above Weasley. "What's wrong with muggleborns? And I don't like her friends any more than you do. And her hair is perfect." Draco eyed his mother, challenging her to say something was wrong with Hermione. Which there wasn't.

"She's a Gryffindor." Narcissa said, her nose wrinkling lightly, she was just teasing her son. It was clear that he loved to talk about Hermione.

"Yeah…. Well… One of us has to be brave." Narcissa laughed lightly at his comeback and hugged her son. "She's beautiful Draco." She said softly while removing his pesky blonde locks from his face for what seemed like the millionth time that day. "She is. And bloody brilliant too." Draco said smiling brightly.

"Isn't she also the girl you bugged half to death for six years?" Narcissa knew she was putting a damper on things, but Draco needed to realize he couldn't go running into a veela-mate relationship without some sort of a plan. Draco sighed and frowned being reminded once again of how he had wronged Hermione.

"Yes."

"Just give her some of that famous Malfoy charm." His smile returned to his face instantly, he knew how to get what he wanted; he was a Malfoy after all. "Oh, and Draco, do be good. A lady should always be treated right even if you have to sacrifice for her." Narcissa winked at him and shoved him into the train.

And then they left, Draco on one side in a cabin inhabited by noisy Slytherin, and Hermione with Weasley and Potter. Draco clenched his fist. This was going to be a long trip.

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A/N: I couldn't wait until I got ten reviews. I hope that I can get some reviews as a 'thank you' for putting this up early. It kind of makes me sad that only six out of 150 or so people felt the need to review. You guys can do better than that.


	3. Want Me Like I Want You

Thank you so much to all those who review! You guys are the absolute best! Reviews make me feel so good and it's nice to know people will take time out of their day to read and review my story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling does. I own only my clothes (hopefully), my laptop, and this pretty ring I'm wearing.

This chapter is dedicated to nightangel1220! She was the first to review for chapter 1! So… who wants the next chapter dedicated to them?

Also, much love to the AMAZING Jade2099. I could not have made this chapter even remotely as good without her! So, thank you Jade!

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**Chapter 2**

'**Want Me Like I Want You'**

Draco sighed loudly and stretched his legs. It had only been an hour so far, but it seemed so much longer. There was this sweet scent that he guessed to be Hermione's, which kept floating to him, tempting him to get up and chase it. There was supposed to be a meeting for the heads and perfects in ten minutes, so why not look around and 'accidentally' run into his beautiful mate who had no idea he was part veela?

Draco knew that Hermione wouldn't exactly be ecstatic to see him, but he didn't care. He wanted to be close to her, to see her face and to feel her breath on him. Childlike giddiness filled him at the very idea of being near her and seeing her. Maybe he would even get a chance to prove to her that he might be trustworthy.

"Drakieeeee! Where are you going?" Parkinson. Crap.

Draco's left eye involuntarily twitched as he turned to look at his fellow Slytherin. A look that Draco used to reserve just for Granger and her knot was evident on his face; a look of pure annoyance and a prideful glare. "For a walk before I have a meeting. Got a problem with that Parkinson?"

She went on, unabashed, "Can I go with you Drakie?" He felt his eye nearly twitch again but he disguised it by moving to rub his cheek. "No, you can't Parkinson." He turned and walked away quickly, leaving the befuddled girl behind.

That sweet scent attacked his senses and he shifted his eyes, now with even better eyesight thanks to the veela blood, over to where the smell epicenter was. He separated her scent into roses, vanilla, oranges, and strawberries. Draco's eyes narrowed and he could only see her. She was the thing holding him right there, she was his anchor to the real world.

His heart sped up and he felt his breathe quicken. He was so damn excited to just _smell _her.

She was early for the meeting as expected. Her hair was put back in a messy ponytail as she hunched over some papers. A few curls were free and the framed her face and Draco had to stop himself from twirling them in his fingers.

She looked absolutely perfect to him. Hermione shifted and wrote something on a piece of parchment. Her handwriting was sleek and concise, disciplined in a way.

Then she noticed him.

Hermione saw how Malfoy wasn't giving her his usual glare. In fact, his eyes were soft, inviting almost.

Hermione scoffed, Malfoy inviting? Yeah right.

'The day he looks at me with something other than disgust or anger is the day hell freezes over...twice.' She thought.

"Granger." She looked surprised that he hadn't called her 'mudblood' or something of the sort. Was he sick or did he recognize her? Or was he going to try to be civil since they were going to be working so closely?

'I didn't change _that_ much.' Hermione shook her head, sure, she had gotten taller and more... _female_. But it wasn't so dramatic that Draco Malfoy would eye her with actual interest.

So, she decided to play along. Why make things harder for herself?

"Malfoy."

Draco smirked, his charm was working already; she hadn't called him ferret. He sat down, probably closer to her than necessary, but he wanted to be as close as possible without her hitting him.

Draco's arm brushes hers and he stops breathing momentarily. His arm was tingling; numb. He instantly wanted to know what it would feel like to be even closer to her. To hold her, to kiss her...

He stopped; he was getting _way_ too ahead of himself. He had to make her trust him, to not hate everything about him.

Draco felt Granger stiffen next to him, moving farther away from him while taking her papers with her. Hermione was still wondering about Draco's wellbeing. He had to be ill.

So he moved with her.

She grumbled lightly and threw down her quill, already exasperated with him and his childish antics. "Malfoy, what _are_ you doing?" Hermione couldn't begin to fathom why Draco Malfoy, the boy who had hated her for years was moving _closer_, not _farther_ from her. She knew he thought she was a mudblood, and heaven forbid he got 'mudblood germs' on him.

"Sitting." His voice was matter-of-fact and for some reason it bugged her to know end. How could he be so bloody casual about this? It confused her to have him acting as if they were old friends. Which they most certainly _weren't_. And she was one of the golden trio. She _knew _for a fact that they repulsed him. At least she knew he hated Ron and Harry...

Hermione's eyes widened. He hated her too, he had never exactly treated her nicely. But things between them had never been the spiteful hatred that existed between Malfoy and Harry. And when it came to Ron, Malfoy hated him for tarnishing the pureblood wizard name by being poor.

"Why so close to me? I can't think right." Damn. She just admitted he addled her brain. She bit her lip and looked away, acting as if that had never slipped out.

"Because I want to. And it's good to know I haven't lost my touch." He was smirking again and she felt the need to smack him; she hated the condescending Malfoy smirk more than anything. Almost more than she disliked his guts and arrogance, and witty sarcasm so much like her own.

Hermione stopped. She had just compared herself to _Malfoy_. But in truth, they were a bit alike. Good grades, scheming and very sarcastic.

She was just a _tiny _bit anxious around him. He brought out the fighting Gryffindor spirit in her for sure. Malfoy made her angry then embarrassed and then unbelievably furious. It seemed as if he enjoyed getting her irritated enough that she turned bright red.

And who could blame her for not liking to be around him?

Malfoy had made her cry before and made her so angry she couldn't think straight. He just didn't do anything for her to make himself likeable.

There had been various times when he had acted nearly companionable... sweet almost. And then after that, once she noticed that he could be a decent person, he went back to his old ways. And then after having him toy with her like that, she only felt more unsure of him and his motives.

Then he would act worse and she would become so stressed by her uncertainty, she would want to kill him. With her bare hands.

"Oh don't be so proud, I can't work when anyone is close to me." There, that sounded feasible. She was happy with that answer, so she smirked right back at him. He rolled his eyes and looked back at her with a wondering gaze. Who knew that her hair was a little darker closer to her neck? And that she had one freckle just near her ear. And that her scent was reminiscent of vanilla and oranges. Well, he knew all that now. And the fact that having him close to her unnerved her.

"What are you working on?" He reached for the papers and she snatched them away. "What is it Granger, love poetry?"

"Hardly." She handed him one of the papers. "They're schedules for rounds for the perfects. McGonagall has made up our schedules. We'll get them once we get to our common room. Draco smiled lightly, he was going to be working close to her, so he wouldn't have to lose his mind from not seeing her enough. And her sweet scent was always going to be there, beckoning him closer even when Hermione wanted him far away from her.

As Hermione was looking away, he leaned forward and sniffed in her direction. Then he groaned. So sugary yet piquant... He moved even closer and felt the heat coming off her body. It sent shocks through his body and made his veela blood sing. Hermione was becoming some sort of high for Draco's mind and body.

Hermione turned and Draco snapped away from her.

What the hell had that been? Why hadn't he stopped himself when he got too close? It seemed like his veela blood didn't care if he misused the minute amount of trust Hermione had for him.

It seemed like he would need to visit the library as soon as possible.

Great, just great. Who didn't love to read textbooks during their free time?

oOo

Draco made his ways up to where his new common room was. The man in the large portrait looked at Draco questioningly and asked, "Are you the new head boy? Where's your girl?"

The portrait lost Draco at 'your girl'. Visions of Hermione mumbling his name quietly as she slept next to him, of her hand in his when they walked to classes, and of the two of them going to Hogsmeade together bombarded him. What Draco would give to have the stubborn girl be his. It hadn't even been a day yet, and the veela mess was driving him mad.

"I asked you a question! Are you _sure _that you are the new head boy? You're not very bright." The portrait was looking rather ticked off at not being respected. There was a slight ruffled appearance about the portrait as it was scowling at Draco.

"Yes, he is the head boy. I'm with you about him being rather dim." Hermione's voice cut through Draco's thoughts of her. After all, the real Hermione was much better than simple thoughts of her. But, from the coldness that she regarded him with made Draco think that he would only have thoughts of her. Hermione seemed as if she didn't want to see him and would make sure to steer clear of him. Draco backtracked all their conversations. Had he said anything to offend her?

Draco came up blank.

Maybe it was just him being in her presence. Draco knew he hadn't exactly won her trust by picking on her and making her last six years hell. A heavy feeling sat on Draco. It was much like sadness, but worse. It was almost depression. What is he couldn't get Hermione to like him and trust him? He would die. His veela blood was screaming in agony, not wanting to die, but also not wanting to hurt Hermione.

Draco wanted life desperately. He knew he had always thought about himself before others. That was evident when he was younger and he would put the blame on others for doing dangerous things. He was _selfish_ and he knew that.

What the bloody hell was he supposed to do?

Draco felt utterly helpless and he hated it. Malfoy's were always supposed to be a step ahead; right now he was about ten steps behind with no plan to back him up.

"You must be the head girl." The portrait's voice cut through Draco's inner battle. It looking down at her, happy to see someone who would answer him. Hermione laughed delicately and her eyes moved to Draco's. He was looking at her, as if thinking hard about something.

Her brow furrowed. Could he be thinking about how much he doesn't want to work with her?

"Quite a pretty girl you are. And obviously smart." Hermione smiled lightly and looked at the picture fondly. But Draco's eyes were now only seeing bright colors from anger and possessiveness. Gods, he wanted to take out a _portrait _on the _wall _for complimenting her and looking at her the way it was. He clenched his fist and said, "Yes, she's beautiful, now could you give us the bloody password?"

Draco felt Hermione jump slightly as she blushed, looking away from him with pain in her eyes that he didn't see.

Did he _have_ to make fun of her looks that uncaringly? Hermione knew she wasn't the most beautiful girl in school, but Draco felt the need to point it out to her.

The picture of a young scholar regarded Draco with cold eyes at disrupting his conversation with the rather nice looking head girl.

"Yes… I could… It's redwood." The portrait swung open and Draco stomped in and looked behind him for Hermione. She was standing there looking a bit dazed, still thinking about Draco picking on her, so he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her in with him.

"Malfoy…Did you do something with your eyes? They're black." She looked genuinely interested as to how his eyes went from grey to black in a matter of seconds.

Hermione had seen his normally light grey eyes go to a startlingly deep black. And it wasn't from shadows or lighting, she knew they were darker.

"Granger, you're seeing things." Draco muttered and bitterly took his eyes off her to look around the large room.

Panic overrode his senses. He couldn't have her figuring out he was a veela before he himself knew more. That would makes things so much more difficult than they needed to be.

There was a sitting area that had fireplace at the center of it and a kitchen off to the right. A large window dominated the room, making everything bright and it was surrounded by royal blue draperies. The plush carpeting beneath Draco's feet was the same shade while a vase of flowers near the window was an unobtrusive orange. There was a large mirror that was ornately decorated with mosaic pieces around it in between two doors.

Hermione noticed it too and she looked at it curiously, running her hand over the edge where the glass pieces were. She seemed to look at all the little glass pieces near her hand as if they were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"Malfoy... Each one of these pieces of glass has the name of past heads." Hermione traced over one specific glass piece and smiled fondly. It looked like she had found her name.

Draco looked closer and found his name near hers. His glass piece was a deep emerald green whilst hers was a deep saccharine gold. Draco could see the very same color in her hair. There were a few wispy tendrils that had a light color to them; reminding him of the sun late in the day.

"Yeah." Hermione jumped at having him so close to him. She moved away from him and averted her eyes to her door. Hermione awkwardly went in, leaving him alone staring at where she had been.

Draco raised his left eyebrow, but walked toward his own door. His hand grasped the handle and he pushed it open and a homey sense came over him. Draco instantly liked the room. It had warm dark woods for his desk and shelves. Each wall was a creamy color that instantly reminded Draco of Hermione's skin. The carpet was a deep Slytherin green as was the curtains and bed sheets. Draco sighed and threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes. He could definitely see himself sleeping here. There was a feeling on utter peacefulness that sat on his heavy heart, and Draco embraced it. Who knew that a change of scenery could make things better?

Draco noticed that everything in his room was like Hermione. There was an area full of books, she loved those, and the wood was the same color as her eyes. Sanity pleaded that he was becoming a bit infatuated with Hermione. Even without the veela blood, it was a tad bit creepy to see her in everything.

Draco had been cooped up in his house for almost all of the summer. Sure, he had read, had conversations with his mother and flew around his monstrosity of a yard. But there hadn't been the comforting presence and warmth he felt right now.

Draco heard Hermione gasp lightly and opened one eye. Any other person would have been forcefully reprimanded for bothering him when he was feeling so calm. But Draco looked at her and couldn't even bring himself to ask her why the bloody hell she was even there. No, the veela in him _wanted_ her there. She stood in his doorway looking embarrassed. Her feet shuffled, as she put her weight on her right one instead of her left.

She hadn't expected to see him so casually lounging about. It was nothing like the tight, well bred appearance he put on. Draco had looked at ease and comfortable. Hermione just wasn't used to it.

"I'm sorry… Professor Dumbledore wanted to see us and he told me to get you." Hermione said while not looking at him. Draco thought it was adorable that she thought she was invading his personal space, when in truth he wanted nothing more than for her to sleep in that room with him every night.

Draco groaned. Why couldn't his veela blood have an off switch? Only a year ago he had disliked Granger to an extent. And now he wanted her to never leave his side.

"It's fine." Draco tried to sneer at her, but it was becoming too difficult to even _try _to be mean to her. But Draco knew he needed to act like he still despised her for a little while longer. There would be too many questions if he suddenly pinned her to a wall a snogged her. And that was something Draco longed to do. But he wanted to keep Hermione Granger and honest woman; she deserved a real relationship with truthfulness. Which was something Draco couldn't give her yet because of his own lack of answers.

He was absolutely exasperated with himself. Why hadn't he asked his mother more while he was with her? That way he could've known that he would have a monster lurking in him.; wanting to snog Granger.

He stood up and walked to her, giving a halfhearted demeaning glare to her as he pushed past her. He felt a slight tingle in his arm as it brushed against hers and he had to stop himself from kissing her. He settled with looking at her, maybe a moment too long because Hermione noticed his traveling eyes as her cheeks flushed.

"What are you…?" He broke off her question by turning on his heel and moving toward the sitting area. If Draco had stayed a second longer, he knew would've kissed her. And, what red blooded male wouldn't have? She was simply standing there, avoiding his eyes, blushing at the innocent way he was watching her.

Dumbledore sat on one of the couches and motioned for the heads to join him. Draco sat as far away from Hermione as possible; he didn't want any more temptations for today. Although, danger hadn't killed him yet, so maybe temptation would. Draco knew it would be stupid to gamble what little respect Granger had for him on the longing to be close to her. So he set his gaze on the old professor who had that twinkle in his eye that told Draco he knew something.

"I'm here to give you your schedules. Professor McGonagall was going to make them up, but I took that burden from her. If you find anything wrong with your rounds, please tell me." The twinkle intensified when Dumbledore handed Draco his schedule.

Draco's eyes went from the paper to Dumbledore.

There it clearly said that all rounds he had were at the same time as Hermione's.

So the old man _did _know. Or at least he had a strong idea of Draco being part veela.

'Mother.' Draco thought grudgingly. Why did she have to wait so long to tell him? Could she not have known that his mate was going to be at Hogwarts? That could've been why she thought it wasn't something that needed to be addressed right away. But Draco still wasn't happy about having no real heads up on his new feelings.

He could have known all this weeks ago and been more comfortable with the fact that he was lusting after Granger; the girl who doesn't exactly have warm feelings towards him. He could've come up with some Slytherin-like plan to make her his. Draco had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't make it to see the morning of his seventeenth birthday.

Draco looked up at Dumbledore; feeling angered. So, the old man had known about him being a veela before he even did? That was terribly unfair.

He knew he was being childish, but he felt as if life was being unjust to him.

The only good thing the old professor had done was that even if Hermione and himself got into fights, he knew she was a stickler for doing her duty. So, there was no way she would skip out just to be away from him. And Dumbledore probably knew that having Hermione there would make Draco actually want to do his rounds.

But he just didn't want to take her opportunity to be happy.

Draco felt heat spread through him again and he shifted his eyes to Hermione who was looking down at her paper; her brows furrowed lightly at something. She looked up at him, questioningly, and he felt the overbearing heat dissipate to a dull burning. Gods, this girl was definitely going to be the death of him. He would give her the moon if she asked him to, and probably a few stars for good measure. Anything to keep her content, he would happily oblige to.

Again, Draco grumbled. This was getting a little mad. He wanted to give Hermione everything, but he also wanted to just make her want him easily. Why did things have to be hard?

But Draco didn't want to take her happiness from her, but he still wanted to live. He would ruin her chances with other guys. And if she was happy with someone else, how could he bring a stop to that? He just couldn't imagine Hermione wanting to be with him. Maybe his mother was right, just add a bit of his charm and treat her right.

What woman could refuse to give in to him?

"Um… Sir… Why do Malfoy and I have rounds at the same time? I thought the heads were supposed to go at different times to spread authority." Hermione looked at Dumbledore and her eyes flickered to Draco for a millisecond, looking rather put off. So, she still didn't want to be near him. Draco vowed that he would change that.

Hermione _would _want him as much as he wanted her. Whether or not he had to woo his way into her heart or not, she would become his.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Review if you liked it, if you hated it, or if you have any input on where the story is going. A lot of people have put me on their watch list, but I would like to get reviews too please! I'm flattered either way though. That's one way to make a girl feel special.

**A/N2: I have a question, is anyone opposed to a little bit of Ron bashing? I would just like to know how everyone feels about that. It won't be hardcore, everyone will make up in the end, but is everyone alright with that?**


	4. Projects and Feelings

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! It was like what, over a week? I'm so sorry to those who were waiting for this chapter! I hope you enjoy it then.

This chapter is dedicated to:** Jade2099**. Thanks Jade for reviewing and also for being the most spectacular beta a girl could ask for!

Remember, the first reviewer for this chapter will have the next installment dedicated to them!

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**Chapter 3**

'**Projects and Feelings'**

Draco ran through the hallways, his footsteps ringing with heavy intensity.

He was late.

Sure, Snape had a certain form of affection towards him, but Draco wasn't sure if it would last. After all, Snape was an impatient man and he didn't like being interrupted or disrespected in any way shape or form.

And Draco was about to interrupt him.

Bursting through the door with a huff, Draco tried to catch his breath.

Every face in the class turned to face him, including Hermione's. She rolled her eyes and turned back to her work, disgust clearly written on her face.

He could be late without getting in trouble, but anyone from any other house would have been heavily lectured. Hermione hardly thought it was fair. Draco had probably cheated his way into being Head Boy, and was having someone else do his work. It made sense since Hermione hardly ever saw him studying.

"Mr. Malfoy…. You're late for being paired with a partner… I think that maybe you and Miss. Granger should work together." Snape sneered in Draco's direction. "It would be good for the two of you to… collaborate."

Draco was beyond happy, he was ecstatic. He would get to work with Hermione everyday on their report, and no one would think it to be odd if he was with her. Draco was sure his godfather had meant their pairing as a punishment, but Draco saw it as a blessing.

Taking his respective place next to Hermione, Draco hummed lightly. It would be a good thing to be with her and be able to feel stress less while doing a project. Every inch of Draco's body calmed and his brain went blank with happiness.

Hermione eyed Draco and found him to be smirking softly, not his usual condescending sneer, but something gentler. He seemed as if he wanted to sing of joy over something.

'Shouldn't he be crying because he was paired with me?' Hermione thought. There were some things in the world she was sure she would never understand, and Draco was one of them. A few days ago he had poked fun at her looks, and he was acting odder than usual. He was a confusing subject to understand.

So, why did he look so damn _happy_?

Hermione looked away from him uncomfortably. There was a sinking feeling in her gut that something strange was going on with Malfoy, and she didn't like it. And if Malfoy was smirking without malice, there were only two options: Hell was freezing over, or he was going slightly insane.

"Professor… Do I have to work with Malfoy?" Hermione knew that Snape had paired them as a penalty, but why should she have to be chastised too? She did nothing wrong. And the way that Malfoy was looking at her, like a hungry predator, was unnerving her beyond belief.

Malfoy's gaze trailed to his mate and he saw her shifting uneasily under his scrutinizing eyes. He titled his head to the right as if trying to take in every inch of her visible skin. Draco had to keep his hands restrained in clenched fists to keep from pushing her hair out of her face. The free strands fell in her eyes and she blew them out of her face with a swift, angry blow.

Draco stiffened as Hermione's cool breath hit him. Her breath was nearly tangible in the air, like if he tried hard enough, he could taste her in the air. And her scent was spicier than usual. There was a citrusy twist that made Draco's senses drown in Hermione.

Snape stood in front of the two heads and inspected the them with great curiosity. The way that Draco was looking at Granger was reminiscent of the way he himself had once looked at a certain Lily Evans. Snape shook that very thought from his head, dismissing it. There was no way that his godson, Draco Malfoy, could fancy Hermione Granger.

It was simply impossible.

"Professor, I don't know if I can work with her." Draco tried to sound as put off by working with Hermione as possible, but he really couldn't make it sound too convincing. Draco wasn't sure if he could make it the whole lesson and project time without touching her or doing something that would make her question his motives. And he needed her trust.

Hermione looked away, hurt. She had thought that maybe, just _maybe_ Malfoy had gotten over his prejudices. But that would be too unfeasible for a pureblood to see a 'mudblood' as an equal.

Draco felt something in him. It was pain, but it wasn't his own. And he knew that he had hurt Hermione. He decided that if he just didn't look at her and got another partner that things would be fine.

When Draco rebuffed from even looking her way, he felt his heart stiffen with more aching. His breath got heavier and his eyes were wide. Damn, why did he have to be so stupid? Why did he hurt her? And he was doing it on purpose.

His heart throbbed and he thought he could sense tears in the air.

Hermione's mind was blinded with anger and emotional soreness. Why did Malfoy have to be a prideful git? Why couldn't he just accept that they were partners and move on? But no, he had to make things better for himself. It wasn't as if she would enjoy working with him either.

"I think I'll be fine." Draco said through gritted teeth.

He would do anything to make her happy. Even if he had to make a fool out of himself in front of her or the whole class, he would do it to redeem himself in her eyes. Hell, he would be a soft sap if she wanted; spouting poetry and love songs if it pleased her.

Snape just walked away, wondering what the hell was wrong with his students today. Was some sort of illness spreading, or was this normal for teenagers?

Every female in the class was eying Draco as if he was some sort of new candy, left to be tried, but guaranteed to be delicious. It was quite creepy. Some of their gazes were lustful, more so than usual, and their whole façade was interested in Draco.

Hermione looked at Malfoy wondering why he had agreed to work with her in end. Part of her was happy that he was going to be partnering with her. That way she could keep him from snogging one of the many girls in the class who were giving him a fierce look. She just didn't want him to be a bad example for them as heads.

At least that was what she convinced herself of.

Hermione snuck a look at Malfoy and saw that his eyes were black once again. When he glanced over at her, they eyes morphed back to their trademark stormy grey.

'What the hell?!' Hermione thought to herself as she wrote it off for later examination.

"Malfoy… are you sick or something? You're smiling at me and your eyes were black again…?" Hermione remembered how his eyes had been so dark a week ago in the common room. The memory brought up questions about Malfoy and his health.

Draco laughed as if he had some sort of inside joke and asked her to pass him a vial. Inside though, Draco's mind was in turmoil. He wondered how long it would take the smartest witch in their school to figure out he was part veela.

He felt warmth against his hand as Hermione handed him the vial and their eyes traveled from their touching fingers to each other.

Draco tensed, not daring to move much less breathe deeply. Draco didn't want her to look away. He wanted her eyes to look into his forever. That way he could see the honey color in them that resembled her delicately sun-kissed skin. And so he could see the darker ring of brown around her iris.

When Hermione didn't make a move to look away, Draco relaxed. There was an unexplainable warmth that coursed through his veins; as if hot water had been poured into them. Every inch of his being was hot with the desire to reach out and touch her, to feel her skin against his and her lips on his. Draco knew that it was Hermione's presence that was causing this new and foreign reaction.

Hermione's eyes had a nearly glazed appearance as she openly ogled him. She felt as if she was sinking into something terribly frigid. But then it got warmer and a tingly sensation erupted all over her body. It felt as if someone had thrown her into a freezing lake before using a heating charm on her. But surprisingly, the feeling wasn't numb.

What was causing this feeling? Was it… _Malfoy_?

There was an incomprehensible pull coming from Malfoy and Hermione slipped closer to him. It felt right to be standing there next to him, simply staring at him.

Hermione's gaze dropped to his lips and Draco _felt_ his eyes darken to that now familiar startling black.

Sanity pleaded in Draco's mind; this couldn't happen yet. Especially not in front of the entire class. No, if her were to ever kiss Hermione, Draco wanted to be the only one to revel in her.

With more regret than any one person could understand, Draco shoved away from Hermione.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Draco yelled; sufficiently grabbing every one of the room's inhabitants' attention. He knew that if the other students were watching him he would be less likely to get back up and kiss her.

Snape made no move to intervene in what could be described as a lovers' quarrel. Snape snorted to himself; Granger and Draco as lovers. The mere idea was simply preposterous.

Hermione looked at him and her eyes go wide with tears for her own stupidity.

Why the hell had she moved closer to Malfoy?!

Why had her body betrayed her and forced her to _want_ to be closer to him?

Why had her lips wanted to taste his, her eyes wanted to see more of him?

Draco watched as her eyes clouded over with tears that she was much too proud to let fall. He groaned, standing up from where he had flung himself and wiped dirt off his robes.

"Granger…" Hermione refused to look at him. "Dammit, Granger, look at me!" Hermione jumped and Draco longed to pull her into his arms because of his own senselessness.

Why couldn't he be a comforting person? Why? Then he could make her feel better for what he had caused.

"I'm sorry for yelling. You didn't do anything wrong." Draco's voice was nearly gentle and his face was flushed from anger at himself. Gods, if anything she did something right. She had helped him understand more of what it would be like to be around her all the time. And what a challenge it would be to resist her.

Hermione nearly choked at the look in Malfoy's eyes. They were grey, and they were trained on her. He looked so tenderly at her that she couldn't feel angry at him for causing a ruckus. Malfoy seemed so docile, his face silently asking for her forgiveness.

Why was he being so damn _nice_?

The whole class looked on in shock. Draco Malfoy never said he was sorry. Never. It was practically a rule. The air was heavy from everyone's suspense filled glances and curious thoughts.

Hermione just nodded her head and tensed her jaw while looking away from everyone's expectant glances. What did they want her to do? Yell at him when he honestly hadn't meant to hurt her for once? No, you reinforced good behavior.

"Make sure you finish with your report portion of your project by Friday." Snape's voice rang a carried through the room.

And Malfoy bolted from the room.

oOo

When Malfoy moved away from Hermione, she felt the prickly feeling drain from her body. It escaped through the rips of her toes to the hard, cold ground below her. She was left in daze, unsure of what had just occurred.

What the bloody hell _had _that been?

Malfoy had been next to her and then she was standing closer, feeling in complete ease in his presence.

Hermione had seen him visibly recoil at her sudden closeness before her eyes met his. His eyes bad been the lightest and softest grey she had ever seen them. Almost like a storm had just cleared, or the ocean waters during a gale.

Hermione remembered feeling unbelievably warm as her train of sight had fallen to his lips.

Why had she done that?!

Hermione felt slightly sickened by her lack of understanding about what had just happened. Had she started feeling attracted to Malfoy? That was not viable, he was an arse. He had been for a long time, and he most likely wasn't going to change that one anyone's behalf.

'No," Hermione concluded, 'I am in no way attracted to Malfoy. It was just a momentary brain lapse.'

oOo

Hermione stepped through the portrait hole into the heads' common room and saw Draco sitting at one of the couches with papers spread around him. He looked deep in thought so she decided to just slip past him with no mention of what had taken place earlier.

But he looked up and smirked at her, stopping her dead in her tracks with the mischievous look in his eyes. What had he done? Hermione's mind went over the possibilities: He was going to pull some cruel prank on her or he had done something to her friends.

"I took the liberty of choosing out topic for our project." He sounded proud, so she guessed that the topic he came up with had to be decent. So she said nothing and joined him in the sitting area; throwing her bag to the ground and giving him a look that said 'no funny stuff'.

Draco looked up and had seen Hermione enter the room. He had spent some time at the library looking for a topic that she would enjoy studying. It wasn't a difficult task being that she was interested in almost everything.

"Alright, what did you choose?"

Draco grinned at her and pulled a piece of paper from under the massive pile in front of him. He had thought that getting a head start on notes wouldn't kill them, so he had picked up some files on the subject.

Hermione took the paper from Malfoy's hand and scanned over it.

"Whether or not wolfsbane potion should be altered to be used on people with mental illnesses occurring during a full moon." She read aloud.

Deep down, Hermione was pleasantly surprised by the topic Malfoy had chosen. She liked learning more about werewolves, and there was a possibility that this project could be helpful to others. But Hermione didn't want to give Malfoy the satisfaction of knowing she liked his choice.

"So now you're comparing werewolves to mad people? Are you trying to taunt the were's population?" Hermione inquired in a seemingly nonchalant way. She knew she was string him on about it, but it would be amusing to mess with him like he messed with her.

"No… I in no way want to goad werewolves." There was something in his voice and eyes that Hermione had never seen there before… fear?

"So you're afraid of werewolves?" She waited and expected him to blow up in her face and claim that he was scared of nothing.

"Having Fenir Greyback as an example for werewolves may have made you not like them much either." He didn't meet her surprised eyes as he admitted to being frightened of werewolves. Draco knew she would find it odd that he had told her that, but if he wanted her to open up to him, he would have to open up to her.

"Oh…. I forgot… But there are good werewolves too. There are people like Lupin who wanted to be in the normal wizarding world and have succeeded." Hermione's eyes softened as she thought about all the terrible things Malfoy must have seen and heard. It was no wonder he was harsh and sometimes stoic.

"It's okay. And to tell you the truth, I didn't mind Lupin as a professor."

Hermione was surprised all over again. Not only was Malfoy telling her that he had liked a teacher who wasn't Slytherin, but he was admitting yet another personal fact to her. Was he trying to use it against her later, or was he genuinely trying to be…_sociable_?

"I really like the topic idea. You picked out a good one." Hermione said lightly, trying to keep Malfoy from wallowing in his death eater past. She didn't need him brooding while they worked on the project together.

The veela blood in him sung; he had made his mate happy.

Draco smiled at Hermione and handed her a portion of the paper tower.

"These files are cases of people who have attempted to revise the wolfsbane and what ingredients they used. I thought it would be good if we could figure out what would actually work. We could narrow it down by reading these cases and figure out what others have done wrong." Draco breathed deeply after speaking and saw that Hermione had a look of shock on her face.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Hermione smiled brightly and Draco knew he had picked the right topic.

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A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'm going to try to have the next one up quicker than this one was posted. But remember, reviews do help chapters move faster!


	5. Of Files and Falling Asleep on Books

MUCH thanks to Jade2099. As I think I've said nearly every chapter, she is the best beta ever. So, thank you Jade!

This chapter is dedicated to: auntieb1 () Thank you very much! You were the first one to give such nice, encouraging words I keep receiving!

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**Chapter 4**

'**Of Files and Sleeping on Books'**

Hermione sat in the back of the library in her favorite chair right under the glass chandelier wearing a grim expression.

There was a certain warmth about the place, with the paintings singing lightly. It made her feel comfortable and at ease to hear the lullabies that new every day. A fire was going strong next to her and there were no other students around her to distract her from the work she was concentrating on. But right now, the voices were grating on her nerves and the flickering from the fire was giving her a migraine.

Today had been a terrible day for her.

There were at least two homework assignments due for each class. It made her tired to stay up until one every night doing projects and reports and research essays. And Ron expected her to help him. Sure, Hermione loved her friends, but could they not see that she was overloaded with her own extra classes?

Of course he hadn't asked outright, but Hermione couldn't stand to see him and Harry receive detentions and bad marks. She knew she was a pushover, but it was simply the way she was.

_(Flashback)_

Hermione walked slowly into the Gryffindor common room; her old home.

She hadn't been there since the end of sixth year. Everything looked the same, with the deep red and shiny gold draperies and comfortable, cushy chairs. The same old fireplace was crackling away, small hot sparks flying outward then disappearing completely.

It felt like home.

There were two snoring figures sitting at the large desks to the corner of the large room. One had red hair, and the other dark black hair. Papers were strewn around them and thrown on the floor when they became exasperated with their work. Drool was coming out of the corner of the redhead's mouth, marring the desk's smooth, dark wood surface.

Hermione rolled her eyes, both agitated and endeared by the sight of her two procrastinating friends. She placed one hand on each of their heads and flicked them.

The two boys shot up and rubbed their eyes like small children.

"Mione?" Ron's groggy voice questioned as he attempted to right his pile of papers.

"Yes, Ron." Hermione looked concernedly to the both of them. "You two should really finish up those reports. McGonagall said she was going to give you two detention with Professor Snape for a month if you missed any more work."

How could she be more worried about them spending detention with Snape then they were?

"We know, Mione. We just had so much stuff to do. And then there was Quidditch practice and homework." Ron looked at her drowsily as did Harry. They both looked so worn out even though they had just woken up.

"I don't know why you don't just give up Quidditch. You wouldn't be so tired then." Hermione looked accusingly at the meager six sentences that graced Harry's paper. She honestly couldn't understand why they spent so much time on their broomsticks, high above the ground when their homework wasn't finished. If it were her, she would've felt so guilty that she would've gotten right down and completed it all before doing anything else.

Ron and Harry looked at her with horror on their faces. Get rid of their favorite pastime? No, they would never do that. Not until they were too old to climb onto a broomstick and the altitude gave them heart murmurs.

"Give up Quidditch?! That would be insane!" Ron yelled, voicing his errant thoughts.

Hermione bristled at his loud onslaught.

"Look, Mione, we love it." Harry said, his eyes lighting up at the mention of his favorite sport. He looked the same way as she did when she was reading, or learning something new. How could she even attempt to deny them that joy?

"We'd give it up for your, Hermione, but you wouldn't ask us to do that, would you?" Ron looked at her pointedly, his voice becoming somewhat persuasive. He only took that tone when he wanted something, and Hermione knew that fact pretty well.

"No, I wouldn't do that." Hermione sat next to them and watched as they both organized their paper and quills.

Harry started writing after flipping through his textbook to find a good page to start at. His quill wrote at a sluggish pace, but he seemed to have an idea of what he was doing. He didn't want to be like Ron and make Hermione do his work; he wanted her to maybe sleep tonight.

Ron on the other hand was turning pages aimlessly and his ink bottle remained unopened. He sighed exaggeratedly; indirectly asking for Hermione's help.

Hermione leaned over him and frowned at his scant sentences. Information packed as they were, he had about fifty more to go.

There was a loud banging noise as Seamus came walking in with three butterbeers in his hands. He handed one to Ron and the other to Harry while keeping the frothiest for himself.

"We're having a meeting about the Quidditch game next week. We're up in the dorms." Seamus looked at her two friends expectantly. After all, Harry was captain and Ron was their keeper, he expected them to be there already.

Harry stood and stretched to get the kinks out of his arms and legs.

Ron, happy to get away from work, jumped up and spilled a bit of butterbeer on himself. Hermione just stared at them both incredulously. Did they want to have quality time with Snape? Because it sure seemed that way.

"Ron, what about your paper?"

How he could neglect homework was beyond her understanding.

Ron's face fell "You wouldn't mind finishing it up for me, would you?"

Hermione sighed; she had her own work to do. But never being one to deny her friends she answered: "Sure. But next time you do it yourself."

"You're the absolute best." Ron leaned down and kissed her forehead before traipsing off with Harry and Seamus.

oOo

Hermione had woken later on top of Ron's now completed project, as well as Harry's. She had finished it for him even though he hadn't asked. She didn't want him to have to be with Snape, he already got into enough trouble as it was.

The clock in the corner of the room struck and Hermione eyed the time-teller dazedly. She was running late. Hermione picked up her satchel and ungracefully stuffed a few papers into it, crumpling their pristine corners. She quickly ran through the stone corridors to her and Malfoy's common room. Edalton, the portrait's resident, looked at her with tired eyes.

"Go right in Miss Granger." He said after she had muttered the password.

After shoving her door open and flinging her sweater over her head, she grabbed a new crisp, white blouse and a slightly lighter weight cover-up. Hermione slipped her skirt down her legs and thumbed her socks off too. She put on her school skirt that reached just above her knee and sighed loudly and exaggeratedly as she looked at the time; five minutes to spare.

Hermione did a simple teeth cleaning charm even though she much preferred the muggle way. After being raised by dentists, there were some hygiene tendencies she just couldn't shake. She made her way into the Heads' bathroom and turned on the sink, pulling the silver knobs and cupping her hands until they filled with cool water. Small droplets of water slid through her fingers then off her face as she put her face to her hands, letting the water wake her up.

With no time to spare caring about her hair's disastrous state, she ran down the hallway. Hermione nearly ran into Malfoy who was standing right in front of the portrait hole. He was tapping his foot and shifting his satchel from one shoulder to the other as if trying to alleviate the amount of weight. When he saw her he immediately stopped all movement and gave her a slow smirk.

"Took you long enough." He huffed impatiently. His eyes roved over her exhausted form and met her eyes for only one moment.

"I never said you had to wait for me." Hermione said indignantly. "I wasn't here until later anyway."

Hermione felt Draco stiffen.

"Where were you then?" There was something in his voice Hermione couldn't put her finger on.

Jealousy?

No, never in a million years would the well off Slytherin be jealous of any Gryffindor.

"I was in the Gryffindor common room." Hermione answered vaguely.

Malfoy nodded and moved to leave, silently inviting Hermione to follow after him. She tagged after him, still contemplating the reason as to why Malfoy had been waiting for her.

What could he possibly gain from walking her to breakfast?

Nothing at all.

As the two made their way into the Hall, they split to their different tables, but not without respective nods to each other.

oOo

Right before McGonagall collected the Transfiguration papers, Hermione was digging through her bag, trying to find her report.

But it wasn't there.

Then it hit Hermione, she had never finished her own report. Ron's and Harry's yes, but not her own report. The pile of papers in front of her desk was a tell-tale sign that every corner of her satchel had been routed through and searched.

Hermione let out a strangled groan. Her grades were something she prided herself in and there was a sinking feeling of failure in her heart. Sure, it was one grade and a she was being a bit irrational, but she felt depressed.

"Miss Granger, you didn't pass your report forward. Is there a reason for that?" Professor McGonagall eyed the Head Girl with wary eyes. Hermione knew that she had lost herself a few responsibility points in McGonagall's book.

"I don't have my report, Professor." Hermione murmured, feeling ashamed of her carelessness.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow knowing that if the best student forgot her report that it wasn't going to become a repetitive thing. After all, Hermione was the brightest witch in Hogwarts.

"I'll let you off with a warning this time, Miss Ganger."

Hermione nodded appreciatively and completely missed the worried look Malfoy was giving her.

_(End Flashback)_

After she and Malfoy had talked about their project topic, Hermione had gotten right to reading the files.

There was something fascinating about learning new facts. It made her feel warm inside, as odd as it sounded. And the topic entailed her reading up on not only the case files, but potions ingredients she had never even heard of. It was simply amazing!

'_And,' _Hermione thought grudgingly, _'Malfoy picked the topic.'_

It was interesting to see what some people thought would improve the potion. One Russian researcher thought using spider venom would work being that it had been used to cure other illnesses. But it had blown up the man's private study and killed his dog. Plus, it caused the consumer to turn a pale shade of blue.

'_Of course it exploded.' _Hermione rolled her eyes as she put down the file to get another one. _'Did the man not know that spider venom and grungy core have volatile qualities when mixed? Snape probably scowled when he read this, anyone knows that. Git.' _

The file in her hand told of a person, a potion freelancer who wanted to heal her son, who had thought that adding tree roots would work. Her potion had kept insanity at bay, but at a price; the user would die five years earlier than their intended time of death.

'Honestly_?!'_ Hermione thought, _'Of course the user died!_ _Tree roots make the wolfsbane acidic so the person is melted from inside out!' _

How sad it was that no one looked up things before they tried it out on real, living humans.

Hermione shifted and tucked her feet under herself, reading all the while. The current file she was on told about a man who himself had an illness but had managed to make a successful antidote to his sickness.

Hermione's eyes widened; someone found the cure! That was great!

Hermione's eyes scanned the page anxiously searching for the list of ingredients used. But there were none listed other than wolfsbane itself.

He couldn't remember what he had used to cure himself.

Hermione sighed, she had been really excited to figure out what could help all those who were sick; dying right this moment. How could someone let information like that slip through their fingers? It was utterly careless and irresponsible.

Hermione groaned exasperatedly and put her head down on the table in a sign of momentary surrender.

Why couldn't the daft man remember what he had put in the damn potion?

Not that Hermione minded the research, but Malfoy had picked quite a broad topic. And that had surprised her that he had wanted to do so much work.

Hermione had always thought that Malfoy was a slacker of sorts. But when she had been told that he was the head boy, she had thought there was some kind of mistake. But there hadn't been one. McGonagall had told her that Malfoy had always been right behind her in grades.

A slight, tiny sliver of respect for Malfoy had crept its way into her mind.

He was honestly second to her?

She had thought that he would protest to one of her ideas and whine until they did an easier topic. But instead, Malfoy had picked something difficult and was fairly doing his part.

There had been the other night when she had been looking for her Transfiguration paper and had instead found his.

She had noted that he had nice handwriting, very much unlike Ron's. And there was a good five inches of extra information crammed with his small script. It had seemed like something she would do; no the Slytherin Prince who seemed to have plenty of free time.

Truthfully, Hermione had been impressed by the report.

Yes, she had taken the time to read it and found it intriguing. And the way he wrote and used words made a typically boring subject so enthralling. When she had gotten to the bottom of the page, she had found herself wanting to read more.

Did he always write like that?

A hand fell heavy on her shoulder and Hermione jumped and lifted her head off the desk in agitation.

Malfoy stood there smirking suggestively at her while eyeing the pile of files she had read.

"Giving up already, Granger?"

Draco grimaced lightly when he had seen Hermione's slumping form. She had been focusing so hard on all her school work that there were times when he doubted she was even in touch with reality. At night her papers would crowd the table and her parchments would dominate the chair next to her. Hermione was just so attentive in making everything perfect, that Draco doubted she even slept.

Worry for Hermione took priority over him and all his other thoughts. All he wanted to do was pick up all her textbooks and finish her work for her. Draco wanted to hand her a cup of her favorite earl grey tea and a non school related book, kiss her on the forehead and tell her to take a nap.

Draco then frowned lightly, she really should sleep some.

"I'm not giving up… Just taking a break…" Hermione's voice was laced with sleeplessness. The skin under her eyes was a darker purple and her hair was a bit more messed up than usual. She looked completely done in, as if a small breeze would shake her overly-slim figure. Draco knew that Hermione had skipped out on dinner a few times so she could help out Weasel, tutor a first year, or finish her own project. It seemed so rarely that it was the last one though. Hermione easily finished her week's worth of work in a night, leaving the rest of her time for others.

Now he wanted even more to force her up the numerous sets of stairs so she could get the sleep she so well deserved. All she did was exceed everyone's expectations, but she never really took time to just rest for herself. Hermione was just much too busy helping those who couldn't or were too lazy to do things themselves to give herself time off.

The desire to throw all her books in the fire was growing strong and Draco clenched his hands; there was no need to be rash.

"Why don't you let me finish up that pile for you? You can go take a kip. You look like you need it." Draco said lightly. If Hermione was anything like Blaise or even himself or even many other people, a lack of sleep made them nearly impossible to be around. And Draco didn't want an irritable Hermione.

"I must look like a total mess to you." Hermione said bitterly as she remembered their first day back. He had said she was beautiful, but of course it had been mockingly. At least that was what Hermione convinced herself of. There was no way Malfoy would think that she, the muggleborn, was even remotely attractive.

It had torn at her to hear him say that she was beautiful. Hermione wanted desperately to hold onto that compliment, to know it was true, but she didn't believe it. He, nor anyone else, could think she was that no accursed 'b' word. Malfoy wouldn't mean it, because all those years he had ripped her apart by saying she was ugly and too smart for anyone to truly like.

Draco's eyes widened in flabbergasted shock. "No! I didn't mean it that way! Granger I promise you that there is nothing about you that looks terrible." Draco couldn't stop himself when he got to the last part. Why not compliment her, girls liked that, didn't they?

But for some reason Hermione still didn't look at him.

"You're a rotten liar, you know that?" Hermione's voice trembled and she blamed it on lack of sleep for her over-emotional attitude. How could Malfoy, once again, make fun of her looks? Was it not good enough for him that he had done it for the past six years?

Hermione once again felt torn.

Why was he doing this to her?

Why was he acting as if he thought she was worth looking at when he had for so long said she wasn't?

It wasn't fair of him to just all of this sudden treat her like a real girl.

"I'm not lying Granger. Don't make my compliments futile, you're beautiful." Draco's irritated voice dropped towards the end but he knew Hermione caught it. He didn't want to give away his full affections for her just yet. Then it would seem like he was faking it. He didn't want her to think that he was leading her on or seducing her just to throw her away.

"Why does it matter to you so much that I'm lying? Is your self-esteem reaching some sort of all time low?" Draco couldn't keep his natural scrapping side at bay; it was a part of him as much as his veela blood. "Maybe you're just scared because I'm not lying. I'm telling the complete truth and you _are_ scared of that because it's me, the git who made fun of you for all those years, telling you what you deserve to hear."

Hermione's heart sped up a bit as she tried to force down her newly rising blush. This time, it wasn't from anger though. Draco Malfoy was making her _flustered. _He was admitting he was an arse and flattering her all in one sentence.

Not even Ron had called her beautiful and truly meant it. No, Ron had complimented her to wheedle homework help out of her. But by the look in Draco's eyes, he really meant it. There was no trace of humor or nastiness, but only pure unadulterated truth in the way he was looking at her.

Sure, Hermione knew well of the fact that Ron used her. She knew it because he was only ever really there when he needed her, but almost never when she needed him. Harry was there, as was Ginny, but Ron was a dormant virus that showed itself only when the host was at its weakest.

Damn, what was wrong with the world?

Hermione's somewhat sworn enemy, Malfoy, was telling her she was beautiful. He wasn't looking at her like she had seen him leer at other females; he was calm and sincere.

Why _was_ Malfoy calling her beautifuland meaning it? Hermione knew that she looked like proverbial hell at the moment, so how could he possibly think that? Or was he possibly going blind? Maybe he thought she was someone else.

"Whatever." Hermione said as she looked away shyly.

Draco didn't take it offensively that she didn't get all blushed-up and giggle 'thank you'. It was just the answer he was expecting from Hermione right then. After all, she didn't yet trust him, or even like him very much, so at least she acknowledged the fact that he complimented her.

Draco knew that Weasel used Hermione's low confidence of her looks to his advantage. It was sickening to think that Hermione was only ever called beautiful when Weasel wanted something from her. No girl deserved that, much less her.

There was that time a few days ago when Draco had seen Hermione scribbling all over a paper that seemed not to be any of her advanced work. It was all much simpler D.A.D.A. That had meant it could only belong to either Weasley or Potter. The name scrawled in the corner with unrestricted script had told him that it was in fact Weasel's paper that Hermione was slaving unnecessarily over.

There had been a tiny note in the corner of the page and Draco had squinted to read the nearly illegible memo.

_To the Beautiful Hermione,_

_Thank you for doing this for me, I know you hate to do it, but you are anyway. _

_Love, _

_Ron_

When Draco had seen Hermione finally notice the note too, he was surprised by her reaction. She had bitten her lip and closed her eyes, her cheeks flushing from what had immediately guessed to be a happy blush. (Boy had the idea of her being happy with Weasel pissed him off). But a tear had slipped down her face and she had thrown the slip of paper into the nearby fire.

"Beautiful my arse." She had murmured as she had looked ready to sabotage Weasel's now perfect homework.

To Draco's demise, she hadn't touched his homework.

He had felt pain _for _her and _from _her.

Weasel just flung around a word that Hermione deserved to hear every day, and every moment of every day. That stupid git acted as if it were some sort of common nicety to use Hermione and get away with it.

"If you want to keep working, how about we at least move all this stuff to our common room? Then if you fall asleep you'll be more comfortable."

Hermione was shocked all over again. Malfoy was being _courteous _to a muggleborn? He cared if she got chronic back pains from sleeping in chair while leaning against hard books?

"Sure." Hermione said as she reached for the pile of papers. Malfoy swatted her hand away and put them all in his bag, leaving her with only one book which she clutched to her breast like it was some sort of reminder of sanity. She couldn't understand what was going on in her head much less Malfoy's. He wasn't being cold toward her or even rude; he was like a new person. A new person that Hermione could find herself being friends with.

Malfoy wasn't calling her mudblood, which was something she detested being called. He was doing his fair share of work and proving to be a great partner, and he was even being _kind_ to her. Malfoy was showing her the chivalrous edge that men of romance novels possessed, but without the overly sappy romance. He was carrying her papers, complimenting her and being overall companionable.

To sum it all up, it was a Malfoy clone walking next to her. A Malfoy clone whose attitudes and emotions were way off from the real thing.

'No," Hermione thought, 'I'm being irrational. Maybe he just wants us to be friends. We _are_ going to be working together for the rest of the school year.'

Hermione nodded to herself; it was a feasible idea.

They walked in silence and Draco found himself just looking at Hermione. She was chewing on her lower lip and her gaze was distant as if she were thinking of something with strict intensity. Red bloomed over her lip as she bit too hard and Draco felt himself watching as Hermione nonchalantly licked away the small drop of blood.

Did she always do that when she was thinking?

The two of them stood before their portrait, Edalton, and Draco watched as Hermione kept her gaze glued to her feet.

"White Brandy." Draco nearly whispered and the portrait swung open.

The two of them stepped through and Draco set all the papers on the desk in the far corner of the large room. Hermione slid on the couch and dropped her bag on the cold ground, her eyes looking tired and her body seeming to let out a sigh of happiness to be on comfortable cushions.

Draco was just happy to get her out of library and into a more restful area.

"You can still take me up on my earlier offer. If you want to take a kip, I'll finish up the files." Draco kept his voice low and soft, not forceful in any way.

Hermione opened on of her eyes and muttered, "I would, but the files are interesting. I like reading them."

She sounded so feeble and Draco wished that they were out of school already so she could just have a job to worry about. No work for Weasel and Potter, no rounds to take care of, and no teachers giving her extra projects because she was just so great. Nothing.

"How about I read them to you?" Draco surprised himself with that one.

Apparently Hermione was shocked too, because both of her eyes snapped open and she looked over to him as if trying to understand him. But she gave in on the fight and closed her eyes again, adjusting her skirt around her so it wouldn't ride up.

"I would like that." She had said it so softly that he nearly didn't hear her.

So Draco read to her about another potions master who made an entire wing of a university catch fire by using gilly scales.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to all those who have put me on their favorites list and waiting list! Please review if you liked this chapter, because review definitely help me work faster.


	6. I'll Get Drunk Off of ButterbeerBubbles

A/N: Yes, I realize this chapter has two titles. This chapter is full of bubbles (Read on and it will make more sense) and there is a rather large quantity of butterbeer consumed in this chapter as well. I happen to like the second title better though…. It's cute.

A/N: I am really sorry this took so long! I have about four reports due because of the end of the year coming. So, in turn, finding time to write _and_ do projects is getting harder. I'm completely stressing out. AH!

This chapter is dedicated to: Avanell! Thank you for reviewing and for your encouragement!

To sugarsweet16: I'm glad the last chapter was to your liking! Thank you so much for your compliments; it means a lot to me.

Jade2099: As usual, this story would be in the pile marked "hopeless" if not for Jade. So, to Jade, much love and thanks from me.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

'**I'll Get Drunk Off of Butterbeer'**

**Or**

'**Bubbles'**

When Hermione woke to the sun shining persistently through the one large window to her right, she groaned. Why did there have to be so much light in the morning? She sat up slowly and looked down with an exasperated moan; she had slept in her school clothes. Hermione's lip twitched in disgust. She didn't like feeling dirty or even remotely unclean. Moving to stand, she noticed two things: One, there was a blanket on her that hadn't been there when she fell asleep, and two; that all the files were neatly piled and obviously left for her to read. And that there was a note off to the side of the stack.

_Dear Granger,_

_I know you like reading these, so I left them for you to read. _

_Draco_

_P.S: You look beautiful when you sleep_

Hermione blushed and tucked the note on top of the papers.

It was a bit embarrassing to know that Malfoy had watched her sleep. And Hermione knew that she was a restless sleeper and also a talkative one too. After that one incident when she had slept over a friend's house and they had said she had been mumbling something about books, Hermione had made sure not to sleep in front of people. And not only had Malfoy _complimented_ her yet again, but he had seen her at one of her weak times. Her hair must've been a mess and she must've been rolling around… Hermione was surprised that she hadn't fallen off the couch while she had slept.

She slowly made her way to her room, following the stone cobble hallway. A warm maroon and sage tapestry with old fae designs hung on the wall, making the passage brighter. Somehow Dumbledore had known just where to add colorful and semi feminine touches to make the place seem less lifeless. Hermione eyed the ground carefully for the edge of carpet that she had already tripped over twice. Hermione stood in front of her door and frowned lightly as she saw her satchel in front of the door, sitting conspicuously there. She knew that she hadn't put that there the night before. Truthfully, Hermione had forgotten all about her satchel.

Malfoy.

Hermione sighed. He had to have been the one to put it there.

'_Something else I never asked for him to do.'_ Hermione thought, somewhat unsure of how to feel about Malfoy's kind advances. There had already been the note today and then this? It was a bit odd for him to just randomly do things for her. Was there a favor he needed to ask or something like that? Hermione hoped not.

She gently placed the files on her desk after opening her large mahogany wood door with a brassy handle. There was no way Hermione could think deeply about anything before getting out of her dirty clothes and have something to eat. Exhaling noisily, Hermione laid down on her bed with her back against her silky red sheets. She adored her bedroom, with its rich purple, nearly a blue shade, and red coloring. Because of the contrasting deepness and brightness, Hermione felt more awake already. It felt like home to her more so than her Gryffindor room had. Hermione used to share a room with other girls who giggled over the newest lip tint while she had wanted someone to talk to about books with. Someone to respect the fact that she loved reading and learning. But sadly, no one was like that; not Harry, definitely not Ron, and not Ginny. Ginny was there if Hermione needed someone to talk about life with, and Harry was always ready to comfort her. Ron… was just there sometimes and not during others.

'_And I got stuck with Malfoy.' _Hermione thought somewhat indignantly. A tinge of guilt slashed at Hermione for thinking such a way. She knew that he was_ smart_. He was only behind her after all. In a way it was unusual to have someone in close quarters who seemed to like knowledge like she did. It was… daresay _nice_.

Hermione stood with an attentive sigh and unbuttoned her blouse and shimmied her skirt down her legs. She wished that she had fallen asleep in something other than her school clothes, which was something she seemed to be doing often now. After all, Hermione loved her silky blue pajamas that made her feel so comfortable. They were like an old book, familiar and calming; something she liked to take advantage of.

After looking to her clock, seeing that there was plenty of time left, Hermione had enough time to make herself feel cleaner. She made her way into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush and Muggle toothpaste. She went through the motions of brushing somewhat mechanically, without thought of what she was even doing. Working in circular motions, as her parents had harshly stressed as proper, Hermione went through the motions of teeth brushing. The minty taste spread through her mouth, making her feel even more awake than a moment before. Hermione spit out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth with a swish of cool water. Grabbing a wash cloth with more vigor than she had earlier, Hermione put a bit of coconut oil soap on it and lathered her face until every inch was whitened with suds. She felt much better now that she was ridding herself of all the oils she so hated to mar her face. Reaching for the knobs for the second time, she turned on the water and let it run the soap off her face. She breathed in deeply at the cooling effect the soap had and the invigorating rush of the cold water. Patting her face dry, Hermione reached for her satchel and potions book.

Draco lumbered into the kitchen area, somewhat put off by the fact that it was early and he had to be up. Mornings just weren't his favorite time of the day. He had sighed tiredly then turned to see Hermione, looking much more refreshed than before, and eating an apple happily. Everything about her seemed lighter and revitalized and Draco was glad that he had a part in her newfound reviving. Her face looked shiny and her skin once again rejuvenated with a night of sleep. Draco was just happy that Hermione had rested and seemed happier. She kept munching on the red apple with a smile on her face, seeming to not notice him. Her potions book was sitting on the counter and the satchel he had carried to her room the night before was on the ground. Draco looked closer and saw a small conglomerate of a minty substance sitting ostentatiously on a braided piece of hair on Hermione's head. He flexed his hands to keep from reaching out to touch her.

Hermione went into her and Malfoy's shared kitchen and grabbed an apple and began to eat it contentedly. She felt much awake and alive now that she was clean and eating. Heavy footsteps reverberated and Hermione looked up and saw Malfoy standing with a smirk playing at his lips. Hermione frowned, hesitant as to the reason why he was staring at her amusedly.

"You have a bit of toothpaste in your hair." His voice held some laughter and Hermione blushed and grumbled as she put down her apple to reach around for the piece of hair Malfoy had indicated. Draco just stood there trying to contain the smile forming on his lips. Hermione glared at him and blushed embarrassedly as she tried to inconspicuously search for the hair.

Draco laughed and moved closer to Hermione, gently picking the piece of hair with the whitish blue Muggle stuff. But instead of letting Hermione get rid of the toothpaste, Draco held the bit of hair to his face and carefully wiped the toothpaste off before breathing in deeply. The scent of mint lingered in his nostrils as he tenderly placed the hair back against her head.

Snapping out of his Hermione scented reverie; Draco looked down and saw her blushing brightly with no toothpaste in her curls.

"Thank you." She muttered as she reached for her apple again as well as her book and satchel; looking ready to leave.

Draco leaned across Hermione to grab the orange beside her, for he rather enjoyed the citrusy scent and taste. Carefully peeling the round fruit as he walked after Hermione, Draco muttered _Evanesco _under his breath to rid himself of the rinds. Popping a piece of orange into his mouth, Draco watched Hermione walk. Draco realized that if he didn't say something, Hermione would run off with her little friends, leaving him wishing he had said something.

"Are you enjoying the essay Professor Flitwick assigned us? You're doing yours on the dangers of the _Entrail-Expelling Curse_, right?"

Hermione looked up at Malfoy for the first time since they had left their common room for breakfast. She was surprised and also somewhat enthralled by the fact that someone had paid attention to what she liked to talk about, even if it was Malfoy. But something else surprised her more:

He remembered what she signed up for?

Something like him remembering her report topic would take him actually listening to her. It was an odd thought, Malfoy listening to her when she was in class.

"Yes… Did you know that it was invented by an old professor –." Hermione looked at Malfoy excitedly as she remembered the research she had done for her project and its strayed creator.

"Urquhart Rackharrow. I know, Granger." Draco smirked when his eyes met Hermione's alarmed ones. "Oh, don't act like I never pay attention in class. I'm only second to you." Draco said proudly. Sure, who doesn't want to be first? But as long as it was Hermione who was ahead of him, he was alright with being second best.

"I know." Hermione murmured, looking at Malfoy with… respect?

The two reached the dining hall and separated to their different tables, smiles of confusion and lightheartedness gracing their faces.

oOo

Hermione stood from her couch and looked at the clock. It was nearly ten, and she and Malfoy's rounds started at nine fifty. Hermione sighed and decided to start without Malfoy; it wasn't like she couldn't handle rounds herself. And there was that huge report for Potions she had to do that was calling her name… Malfoy would only be a hold up.

After donning her head girl cloak, she walked out the portrait hole and into the dark corridors of Hogwarts.

Everything was eerily silent, only the well spaced sound of water droplets falling from the roof shingles to the stone walls reminded her she was awake and had a job to do. As Hermione trekked the halls of the upper towers, she found nothing and no one that seemed out of place. In fact, there were no people in sight in any of the hundreds of passageways that Hermione searched. She reached the stairs leading to the astronomy tower; one of her favorites places in the castle besides the library. It had the most beautiful view of the twinkling stars… It was just breathtaking to be up there at night and sense the power of the heavens.

Hermione cracked the heavy wooden door open and quietly slinked in; her eyes immediately went to the moon and stars high above her. The night was clear and the sky was a dark, vivid black that reminded her of something…but she wasn't sure what.

_(Flash Back)_

Hermione was silently reading a book on the couch with a low and calm fire going next to her. She twirled her finger aimlessly around a lock of her curly hair, unaware of Malfoy watching her attentively. Hermione was completely lost in the world of old Russia and Goblin Queens that even as she placed the book next to her to stretch her aching muscles (She'd been sitting there for over two hours) she didn't realize that Malfoy's eyes were following her every move.

She sighed quietly and slipped a hair elastic off her wrist and into her hands, pulling all her hair into a messy ponytail. A few shorter pieces fell over her forehead and others just randomly stood out, making her look all the more studious.

Hermione's eyes flitted to the other couch in the common room and saw Malfoy looking at her curiously as well as something else she couldn't put a finger on… She tilted her head and met his lost gaze. Her own eyes widened when she saw the color of his eyes…

It was that startling black that she had come to place with him.

Hermione shook her head, it had to be the poor lighting that kept making him seem like he had no pupils.

_(End Flash Back)_

All thoughts of school and friends and life slipped from her mind; it was just her and some peace and quiet.

A rather loud moan was heard and Hermione snapped her gaze back to the level she was on. Creeping around to the teacher's desk and chair, Hermione saw two people occupying them. A boy, shirtless is seemed, was roving his hands over the girl's body. The faceless boy's hand touched her ribs as his lips devoured the girls.

Draco had said that there would be times when they would find fellow classmates trying to get to the next level, but did they really have to do this _now_? Hermione didn't want to be the one to rip apart two half-naked people who might very well be her friends!

Another moan and raspy breath reached Hermione's ears and for some unknown reason, she felt _angry_. Then there was another itching feeling that she couldn't identify quite yet. Hermione groaned; why hadn't she waited for Malfoy? Then he could be the one to drag the two lip-locked teens apart.

Hermione grimaced as she thought of how he had known that there would be various couples snogging up on the tower. Did he know from experience? For some unknown reason, it bugged her to think of how many times he had been in such a position with other girls. It bugged her to think how many girls had graced his presence _and_ bed. The fact was it was disheartening to think that she'd never get a chance with him.

Hermione shook all thoughts of Malfoy and snogging out of her head.

Hermione approached the two cautiously and noiselessly but stopped immediately when she saw that the boy had the shocking red hair of those in the Weasley clan. She looked closer and saw that it was in fact Ronald Weasley who was snogging the daylights out of Parvati Patil. (Hermione had to squint really hard to see which of the twins it was).

Hermione drew away from the pair, forgetting completely about her duties as head girl and ran recklessly down the narrow stairs and to her common room. Hot, biting tears filled her eyes as she tried to blink them away. To no avail, Hermione's tears fell down her face, matting in her hair and soaking her shirt. Edalton, the resident Heads' portrait, swung open without even asking the password at seeing the Head Girl's distressed state.

Hermione sat curled up on her couch crying like there was no tomorrow. She couldn't fathom why though, she didn't love Ron like that. After much contemplation, Hermione had come to the conclusion that if he took advantage of her as a friend, who could say that he wouldn't do the same thing if they dated? And Hermione didn't want to be someone's play toy or tutor; she wanted to love someone for real who loved her and wouldn't ask her to do their reports for them.

Maybe it was just because of the fact that she had honestly thought that they might have worked out together. Maybe it was because Ron had never given her a chance to prove that it was a possibility for them to be more than friends. Or, maybe it was because seeing Ron snogging Pavarti made her feel so undesirable. It was like a gaping hole, tugging at her happiness and hope. Was she not pretty enough for him to not even bother with her? Or was it that maybe he only had ever saw her as a friend, a 'best mate' like he saw Harry?

Had she been so sadly mislead that she had actually thought Ron would be willing to give her a try?

It certainly seemed so.

_(Flash Back)_

Draco stood in front of Hermione as she eyed him exasperatedly.

It was the end of Transfiguration. The class where Hermione had forgotten her report, to be specific. All through the class, Draco had been observing his Mate worriedly. He didn't like the fact that Hermione had missed her due date for her report, but Weasley and Potter had made it just on time. With perfect scores too, no doubt.

And Draco knew exactly why, too. The tired look in Hermione's eyes said it all; she had stayed up to do their reports before her own.

It troubled him to see her just giving all her time away to others when she deserved to spend a bit of time on herself.

Now he was standing in front of Hermione as she was trying to leave for lunch. She didn't look angry, just interested as to why he was keeping her from leaving. Draco just stood there eyeing her, unsure of what to say to her without seeming forceful. Hermione was one to be blunt and to the point, but he didn't want to seem unfeeling or callous especially since he cared about her…

"Granger… You know that Weasley is only using you." Draco cringed; there went his light approach. Hermione would probably be angry at him…

"Why would you say that?" She asked coldly; not yet thinking too deeply about what he was saying.

"He obviously doesn't care about you a whole lot if he uses you as his personal tutor and…_ slave_." Hermione flinched. She was completely against any sort of dogsbodying, so it was a complete insult to be called a slave. And not only that, but Malfoy was implying that Ron didn't care for her at all… It stung. Even if it held a bit of truth to it, it hurt to think that someone she had spent so much time with didn't give a second of the day about her.

"It's nice to know you think that way." Hermione shoved past him and he could hear her grumbling and sniffling. Draco made no move to follow her, only thinking of how he could've possibly done that better.

_(End Flash Back)_

Hermione was angry for the lost chance at love with Ron, not because she wanted him, but because of the pure fact that they could've been happy.

Hermione stood, wobbling slightly and feeling as if someone had used the _Jelly Leg Jinx_ on her. She felt warm, sweaty, and tired from tears; not the most attractive combination of feelings. So Hermione made her way to the bathroom to take a long, hot bath with lots of soaps and scented candles.

After turning off the tap, Hermione stripped off her Head Girl robes and tugged her shirt over her head, gently keeping any buttons from snagging on her curly hair. Hermione reached behind her and unclipped her blue cottony bra, sliding the straps down her arms. She kicked her skirt off her legs and skimmed her knickers and socks off her legs along with her black flat shoes.

Placing her wand on the small table next to the giant bathtub, Hermione stepped in. The hot water welcomed her body and licked at her aching muscles from running all the way to the common room. Hermione relaxed her body, but her mind remained restless; unable to settle on any thought except Ron kissing Parvati.

Hermione sighed and reached for her wand, summoning a tall glass of butterbeer. She took a long, thirsty sip from the glass and seemed to down the whole thing in less than a minute. Hermione refilled the glass with a flick of her wrist and settled deeper into the water with the glass at hand. As Hermione enjoyed the stillness and peace that surrounded her, she nursed the frothy liquid until she once again needed a refill. It was addicting stuff, really. So warm and sweet yet nutty and smooth; the perfect soul soothing mixture.

By the eighth glass of butterbeer, Hermione's mind was still going a mile a minute. Being that butterbeer wasn't strong in alcoholic content, it made a very minute difference that she had consumed so much of it.

Hermione's thoughts were rampant and harsh.

How could Ron just do that to her? HOW?!

Hermione knew that she had been a near perfect friend to him. (All her modesty of thought was thrown to the wind). She had helped him with his homework numerous times; guiding his sometimes hopeless attempts at a project. How could he not even tell her that he didn't feel anything romantically for her before jumping on some girls and pawing at her? Even recently, Ron had been sucking up to her and using her insecurities for his benefit. He had no merit to use her mind, her very brain.

Did he think that she didn't deserve a little bit of respect by saying that there would never be anything between them? It was angering. And infuriating and exasperating and just downright _unfair_.

'_Damn diluted alcohol.'_ Hermione thought while still downing the drink for the ninth time in less than two hours.

oOo

Draco grumbled under his breath.

Hermione hadn't been there when he had done his rounds. They were supposed to do them _together_. But she hadn't shown up. Draco wasn't mad at her, he was just disappointed. He had been looking forward to walking around the shadowy school hallways with her close to him. Sure, it was unromantic, but at least he'd get a chance to talk to her and satisfy his craving to Hermione by his side.

As he wove through the last two passages to get to the common room, Draco sensed something was off

_Why would Hermione not do her rounds?_

She wasn't the type to slack off or get lazy.

Was she hurt or did she fall asleep, or maybe someone attacked her and was holding her hostage…

'_She's fine...'_ Draco could feel that she wasn't seriously hurt. It was just that there was this dull ache in his heart that hadn't been there earlier. It was nagging in his mind to get back to the common room, to find Hermione.

Draco stood in front of Edalton and once again said the now memorized password; "White Brandy", before slipping in.

The distinct scent of butterbeer was the first thing that hit him. And there was a lot of it if he were to judge by the way it overpowered the room. Then there was lilacs; a sweet and innocent scent that instantly reminded him of Hermione. The aroma of oranges was thrown into the mix to make an intoxicating perfume.

At the sound of whimpering and sniffling Draco opened the door to the Head's bathroom. An unexplainable pull was leading him there insistently. The sight he saw made his eyes open in shock and eyebrows disappear amongst his blonde locks. Hermione, the seemingly faultless perfect girl, was lying in the tub with her head leaning against lip of it, a goblet of butterbeer in her hand. Her eyes opened slowly, noticing his presence after three drug out heartbeats.

"Malfoy…" Hermione's voice was hoarse as surprise and embarrassment filled her. Malfoy, her once enemy was watching her cry; seeing her at her true worst as she fell apart unwillingly. More fat tears fell as she blushed; a peculiar fusion of emotions filling her all at once. Hermione sunk lower in the tub to make sure that all of her body was covered as Malfoy gazed at her heatedly.

Draco blinked owlishly and swallowed several times in an effort to rid himself of thoughts of the fact that his Mate was naked a mere few feet away from him. The fact that she was in anguish and crying helped him keep away from his less than noble thoughts. He wanted to comfort her, not shag her. "What happened tonight, Granger? I thought that you and I had rounds together, but I was alone."

Hermione choked lightly and brought her hand to her eyes, pushing her warm tears aside."I went earlier than you… Why are you even in here?" She once again didn't seem angry. Just curious as to why he was standing there; looking at her while she only had bubbles as protection. _'He's probably used to it.'_ Hermione thought sourly. She had heard from other girls that Draco had more than half of the Slytherin girls at his disposal as well as other houses. She had a womanizer for a roommate. It was very annoying to think of all the females who had kissed him, who had held him, and those who had even been lucky enough to be close to him.

A part of Hermione _wanted_ to be one of the girls who received his affections. The logical part of her brain, that was muddled by alcohol, was wondering where all this was coming from. But Hermione just didn't care about where it was coming from; she just wanted a little bit of love for herself. Was it wrong to want someone daring and mischievous and exciting and mentally arousing? No; it was normal. And, oddly enough, Malfoy fit that very difficult to accomplish bill. Hermione wanted someone who could care about her and respect her mind as well as her body.

"Sorry about that." He didn't look or sound sorry. "I heard you crying and thought something was wrong…_Is _something wrong, Granger?"

Hermione blinked exaggeratedly and took a few deep breathes; Malfoy's concern was throwing her off the loop. Her gaze was incredulous as she looked at the two Draco's before her. Two Dracos… How odd, she must be drunk. Hermione felt blush rise to her cheeks as she thought of two Draco kissing her as Ron had been kissing Parvati earlier. An inane smile spread across her face and then she remembered that Ron was the reason she was here, naked and drinking obscene amounts of alcohol.

Hermione brought the goblet to her lips and downed its amber contents while her eyes flooded with hot, unshed tears. She looked back to Malfoy and anger seeped into her veins before she knew it.

Malfoy was her enemy… Wasn't he? He had made all her Hogwarts years from the tender age of eleven pure hell! Of course this year he had been anything but a prat, but that was futile and not the point. Why was he acting like he cared? Did he care or was it some grand scheme to annoy the mudblood? Or did he actually and genuinely worry for her? She deserved concern! After all, Hermione was a person, not just a goody-goody homework doer! She was completely creditable for Malfoy's apprehension!

Wasn't she?

Hermione breathed in a shuddered breath and closed her eyes. She felt nauseous and shaky as she dropped the goblet and gripped the bathtub edge.

Draco watched as Hermione went from angry to utterly confused in the matter of three minutes. She seemed like there was an internal battle of thoughts going on in her head. If he had seen Hermione so loose any other time, it would have been funny, but not now. Worry was dominating his being as he watched Hermione bite her lip and go a greenish color in the face. She swayed and his hand went out to her shoulder, compulsorily steadying his Mate.

"Hermione, come on. What's wrong?" His voice was softly pleading and his eyes were searching hers.

At hearing her name on his lips, Hermione snapped out of her fierce reverie. "It's nothing."

Draco saw the hurt in her eyes and wanted to kill whoever had caused it. He wanted to take a knife and commit murder the way that Muggles did. None of that peaceful, painless _Avada Kedavra _business, but a nice slitting of the throat and maybe an artery…

"Fine… It's female problems." Hermione said grudgingly while eyeing the corner of the room as if it was interesting. She expected him to back away; no guy wanted to be around a PMSing girl. Usually the mere mention of her being female made Harry and Ron cringe and search for the closest exit.

Ron… The reason why she was crying and so damn _sad_…More tears fell down Hermione's face with renewed, raw vigor.

Draco leaned toward Hermione and cupped her face in his hand. "You're lying, Granger." He looked in her misted brown eyes and felt as if he himself were about to cry. Draco wondered momentarily if he would be feeling _every_thing she felt. That would be hell, being as she was a hormonal woman and all.

"What do you want from me?!" Hermione screamed, completely disrupting Draco's rambling train of thought.

"The real reason why you're so sad." Draco said quietly while pushing her hair out of her face, feeling her soft skin under his fingertips.

Hermione, who hadn't even noticed Malfoy touching her was still looking at him dubiously. "Why the bloody hell do you even care? All those years all you did was torture me, and now you want to know _what I'm FEELING?_!" Hermione's voice was a dangerous hushed whisper and the tears were still slipping from her eyes.

"I care because I just do, Granger. And I'm truly sorry for all those years of being stupid. You deserve to be treated better." Draco looked right at her eyes, not letting his gaze stray to her body. He was sure she would hex him if he did so without her permission, and he didn't need an angry Granger.

Draco knew it was the pure truth, that Hermione deserved the best. He _had _treated her like shite for the past six years, but he was determined to make her see the new him. The new him cared about her and didn't want to hurt her in any way.

Hermione felt a hand trailing on her neck, drawing soothing circles there.

Hermione felt as if a mist had been pulled from over her eyes and fogged brain. She felt a bit clearer in thinking and her nausea was slowly seeping away. Was Malfoy's touch always like a Pepper-Up potion and a Hangover draught? Was he trying to take advantage of her in her weakened state?

'_No,' _Hermione thought drowsily (He was making her sleepy) _'He's just trying to be comforting. He _is _sincere now.'_ Hermione could just tell. Malfoy wasn't being touchy feely to get anything from her… oddly enough he was just conciliating her in his own way. After all, he couldn't gain anything from consoling her.

And it wasn't like he was just suddenly doing one nice thing for her; he had been doing nice things since the beginning of the school term.

A list arose in Hermione's head. Malfoy had: Made sure she hadn't froze in the stone common room by giving her a blanket and starting a fire, leaving the files she so dearly loved for her to read instead of rushing through the project. Also, Malfoy had complimented her yet again; read her the files, letting her hear the stories without opening a tired eye. He had asked her if she wanted to take a nap and offered to finish things with their assignment.

'_And he put my bag near my room for me.' _Hermione remembered when she had seen her bag near her door earlier that day.

So, the nice little actions hadn't just started. And if Malfoy had wanted her to be somehow humiliated, he wouldn't put so much work into it. He would do some quick, accurate and embarrassing scheme that didn't include being so close to her.

And, Hermione felt like Malfoy was becoming a better person for real; that it wasn't some scam. He wasn't just being nicer to her after all. He had somewhat ceased his merciless teasing of Harry and Ron and even some other people. The word 'mudblood' hadn't slipped from his lips for a long time, as far as she knew of. Malfoy was changing.

And it was startling.

"Could you leave now?" Hermione asked. The water was getting cooler by the drug out moments and the lack of bubbles was making her uncomfortable. The idea of Malfoy seeing her naked was quite an uncomfortable one.

Draco cocked his head to the side; Hermione had asked him to leave. Had he done something wrong? He had thought that he been comforting enough. After all, it wasn't like Draco was used to making people feel _better_. Other than his mother of course, but… Not unrelated people.

Then he looked down and remembered that Hermione was still soaking in the bathtub and could see that her lips were turning a slight purple shade.

"Sure thing." Draco said quietly. He leaned down attentively and breathed in deeply before trailing his lips over her forehead, like a whisper, then left.

"Oh, and you never did tell me why you're sad." Draco murmured. But he didn't press matters further.

* * *

Does that ever happen to you? When you wash your face, you get soap in your hair? Or you somehow get toothpaste on your clothes or in your hair? I hate that! I must be a bit OCD or something…


	7. Whether or Not You Like It

Disclaimer: Owning HP would make me rich. If I was rich, I would get myself a new laptop

Chapter dedicated to : milliekins. Thanks for your review, every review is important to me!

**A/N: There will be a serious author's note at the bottom. Please read it!**

**Chapter 7**

'**Whether or Not You Like It'**

Hermione woke a stretched her aching muscles with a languorous yawn. When she stood, nausea pinched sourly at her stomach and her head felt as if someone was pounding it with a hammer repeatedly. She grasped her desk next to her to keep from falling from the dizziness that hit her as she moved. Hermione's vision was blacked out around the edges and spots were a bit fuzzy. She groaned; these were surefire signs of a hangover migraine. She remembered that this was one of the reasons she had vowed not to become a drunkard. Who would want to deal with such pain daily? And it just wasn't in her nature to be wasteful.

Hermione shook her head and found that it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. She rubbed her hand against her temples and felt a bit of the pain ease momentarily. She wanted to take a lazy day, but she was a persistent student so she moved about her room and got ready.

oOo

Draco exited the bathroom to grab his satchel sitting outside the door where he had left it. He paid no mind to the hallway as he only thought of Hermione and breakfast. After last night, he was unsure of how she felt about him. Did she still dislike him strongly or was she giving him a chance? She had dismissed him before telling him anything, like if she forgave him for his years of stupidity and if would be lucky enough to have her friendship. Everything was foggy and there was really nothing he could do about it but treat Hermione right.

Hermione was slumping in a kitchen chair, leaning her head of brown ringlets on her arms with a pear sitting forgotten next to her. Draco inched closer and heard her groan once before she blindly reached around the table for the pear. He leaned over and took it teasingly from her reach and watched as she looked up at him with daze filled eyes.

"Malfoy, give me the fruit." Hermione held out her hand and gave him a look that said no nonsense.

But he was in a light mood and tossed the pear in the air before catching it once again. "Why should I?" He asked coyly as he made a move to bite from it.

"Because I'm hungry." She answered louder than before then winced and laid her head back on her arms. Another near silent whimper escaped her lips and Draco placed the fruit back to its previous home then rested his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong, Granger?" He whispered as he unconsciously rubbed her shoulder in soothing circles with his thumb. He didn't like seeing her like this. There was a distinct pinching at his heart and knew Hermione was in pain.

For some reason unknown to herself, Hermione answered him. "My head hurts."

'_Of course,' _Draco thought, _'she had practically drunk a keg of butterbeer.'_ How he hadn't remembered that she would have a hangover earlier, he didn't know. Something in Draco went on "Protect Mate mode" and he left to go rout through his trunk at the end of his bed. There had to be some sort of hangover draught in there. A tiny blue vial was hiding at the bottom under some old letters and Draco grabbed for it and traipsed out of his room, happy that he hadn't completely run out of the medicinal potion.

Draco laid his hand back on Hermione's shoulder. "Granger, I have something that should help you." His Mate feebly raised her head, her skin color looking a bit too sallow to be healthy. He uncorked the flask and carefully placed it in Hermione's waiting hand. As she downed the contents, Draco realized just how much trust it had probably taken for her to do that. For all she knew, he could've just poisoned her easily. After all, they had been enemies for years. But she had put her hope in him whether or not she realized it. And that gave him a look of optimism on his somewhat pathetic situation. At least she didn't think they were adversaries anymore.

Draco picked the pear back up and handed it to her, signaling for her to eat. Hermione munched without any complaint or protest. Draco watched the way she took small and perfect bites, not going too fast like some of the other girls who he had seen eat. Hermione seemed to be meticulous in everything that she did and he somehow thought it was adorable. She was frowning as a trail of sticky juice went down her fingers to the gentle curve of her wrist. She shook her hand childishly and the juice went flying onto his pristine black robes.

Hermione's eyes slowly trailed up his body and she went a bit red in the face. "Sorry."

He saw the small embarrassed smile forming on her face a smirked. "It's alright, Granger." Draco gently wiped away the juice and reached down and picked his satchel and put it on his back. He picked up Hermione's then and she took it. Draco could see the glazed look in her eyes was nearly gone and was happy that the draught had worked for her.

Draco walked with Hermione; their pace was slow and companionable. They were like two old friends, sharing the silence and comfortable atmosphere. It was something that Draco could find himself getting used to.

oOo

When Hermione had seen Malfoy procure a small vial earlier that morning, she had thought nothing of it and had drunk the potion. But now that she was thinking about it, he could have effortlessly made her ill. It somewhat shocked her that she hadn't earlier thought if he was trying to hurt her. Instead, she hadn't said a thing and did exactly what he asked for her to do. There had been something in his eyes, the way he looked at her with care that had made her put implicit trust in him. It was like her first instinct was to listen to what he said. Hermione thought that maybe her mind had subconsciously decided that Malfoy had earned her trust.

And that was terrifying because Hermione thought that she might actually trust him.

"Hermione, you look a little beat. You should really eat something." Harry's voice pulled her from her thoughts and Hermione looked at her best friend fondly. She reached for a roll and buttered it idly. She felt much better thanks to Malfoy, so why should she not trust him? He had been there for her when she had cried herself senseless the night before and had taken care of her hangover. Maybe he was just trying to forge a friendship. Oddly enough, Hermione found herself not minding the idea of being friends with Malfoy.

Harry put his hand on hers and she realized she had once again dozed off to her own thoughts. "Are you sure you're alright?" He questioned; his forest eyes filled with worry.

"Yes, I'm fine." She didn't go further into it and Harry seemed content enough with her lackluster answer.

Hermione uncomfortably as she watched Ron sit across from her. Her jaw tensed and she looked away from him and his red hair that she had seen on top of Parvati last night. She didn't really want to be near him, but Harry always sat near him and Harry was her only other close friend. If she really wanted to, she could sit with Ginny but then she would be near Parvati and she didn't fancy that.

"Mione, did you finish the Transfiguration homework?"

Hermione looked spitefully at Ron and saw him sifting through his satchel until he came upon the thick volume used for Transfiguration classes. He untidily unrolled a piece of parchment and dug for a quill and ink pot. Then he looked up at her expectantly and Hermione wasn't sure what to do.

If she didn't help Ron, he would wonder what was wrong with her and get angry. But if she did help him, Hermione knew she would feel like she was betraying herself. She just wanted to get over Ron and his hurtful stupidity. After all, she knew she deserved better than someone who forgot to do their homework until the class before. That wasn't who she was. Hermione liked her organization and Ron would never be a tidy part of the thing she called her life.

"Yes."

"Could you help me? Mum said if I didn't shape up with my grades that I would be getting a howler a night." Ron shuddered and turned his hopeful eyes toward her. He seemed completely unaware of her discomfort.

"Sorry Ron, but no."

It was time for her to get rid of those stupid ties she felt with him. He didn't like her; he wanted to use her for her brains. And that wasn't right, she wasn't an encyclopedia or thesaurus, she was a person. Although, Hermione did feel a _very _tiny twinge of regret when she saw the shocked look on Ron's face.

"_NO?!" _The red one third of the Golden Trio questioned loudly causing everyone around them to look up in surprise. They all knew that the Weasley had his issues with temper, but it was rare to see him blow up so loudly in front of such a crowd.

"Ronald, you're causing a scene. Sit down." Hermione tried desperately to cling to her own temperament as Ron eyed her with anger. It was galling for her to see just how deep she had let Ron go with her sense of self-worth and morals. She really had let him trample all over her and do whatever he pleased. But it was time for him to decide if he only wanted her as a tutor, or if he wanted to attempt to mend their breaking friendship.

"I will not sit down!" Any other time Hermione would have rolled her eyes at his childishness, but the situation was much too serious.

Since he refused to go to her level, Hermione stood to his. "I'm not going to be a victim of your dogsbodying anymore." She fought to keep her voice level and her emotions in check as everyone in the large room watched the two of them and their high boiling tiff.

"Mione, it's not like that! All you're doing is what friends do for each other!" He sounded nearly scared at the prospect of losing his homework helper. But Hermione wasn't backing down for him.

The room was set off on whispers of the two of them doing scandalous things. Of Hermione being some sort of sex slave and various other ideas that were far from the truth. No one seemed to grasp what it was truly about.

"It's _my _brain. I'll do only my own homework." Hermione heard several scoffs from those who had thought their fight was about something much more threatening. Several Ravenclaws gasped at the idea of doing someone else's homework. But Harry just looked at Hermione with unsure eyes. In the end, what was he supposed to think and feel? His best friends were angry with each other. While he was proud of Hermione for standing up to Ron, he knew it would drive a wedge in their friendships.

Ron reached forward and grabbed Hermione's shoulders and shook her roughly. "Mione, I'm not using you! You never said anything!"

"Until now. Are you really that daft that you could never notice that I didn't _like _being used?" Her voice was still composed, but there was an edge of madness to it too. Like she was just on the brink of throwing sanity to the wind and fighting back with the fury she felt.

Ron shook her again and Hermione could feel his fingers digging into her skin through her robes and thin button up shirt. His nostrils were flaring as he took deep breaths but made no attempt to calm himself. Ron's ears were red as was his entire face; lighting him up like a magicked candle on a Hogwarts Christmas tree.

He leaned down and forcefully kissed her on the lips, leaving no room for her to escape as his arms on her shoulders held her in place. Hermione tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp, but it was futile. Ron's breath was hot on her lips and Hermione found herself repulsed by it. She didn't want this, dammit! Did she get a say in anything anymore? Once Ron pulled himself away from her, Hermione moved her hand to wipe her lips on the back of her hand ungracefully. Ron looked at her, oddly hurt that she didn't like his kiss.

Hermione was completely torn, why was Ron kissing her if Parvati and he were together? Or did he think that she didn't know about Parvati and he thought he could just lead them both on? Did he think that if he showed affection for her that she would stay with him and do his homework and become a housewife for him someday?

"I'm sorry, Ron." She wasn't really sorry that she wasn't going to be his slave, but she was sorry that she didn't feel anything for him. It was his loss if he wanted her now, because he couldn't have her.

At hearing Hermione's words, Ron seemed to blow up completely. His right hand rose from her shoulder as if to hit her and she flinched away from him, wanting to get away from him before he would blow everything out of proportion. Hermione tried to free herself from his grip and found it nearly impossible and she watched as his hand came down with force intending to hurt her.

But she felt no impact, she only saw a light colored arm flash out of nowhere to grab Ron's arm. Hermione turned and saw Malfoy standing behind her with a look of pure fury that rivaled Ron's. Malfoy's face seemed paler than usual and his eyes were a pupil-less, stark black. With a seemingly careless flick of his wrist, he quickly twisted Ron's arm so the redhead backed away while gasping in pain.

"What did you do, Mione? Ask Malfoy to stand up for you?"

The insult hit Hermione harder than any ton of bricks ever could have. Ron dared to call her weak? Did he honestly think she was incapable of taking care of her problems without someone else's help or guidance? If so, he was stupider than she could've ever guessed.

_(Flash Back)_

Draco had been watching Hermione ever since she had stepped foot in the dining hall for dinner. She had been wearing a happy enough expression on her face but he could tell that she was thinking deeply about something. Her bottom lip had been caught between her teeth and her eyes had the appearance of her being miles away. Draco had watched as Potter had laid his hand on Hermione and asked her something. But he didn't care about the words, he cared about the fact that he wanted to rip Potter's hand from its socket. And the fact that Hermione had looked so comfortable with Potter's touch had sent Draco reeling with irritation.

Why couldn't she be that comfortable with his own touch?

Weasley had taken a seat across from Hermione, he saw her visibly squirm in discomfort. It was a wonder to him that no one else seemed to notice how badly she wanted to run from that very spot. Weasley asked Hermione something and annoyance had been evident in her tight posture and shielded eyes. Then Weasley had stood up and shouted _'NO?!'_

At that, everyone in the room looked over to the seemingly perfect trio. Hermione calmly asked the git to sit back down, but he immaturely refused so Hermione stood to meet his gaze with guarded malice in her eyes. Hermione said that she didn't want to be his virtual homework slave and that made Weasley unbelievably livid. He had reached his poor and slimy hands out and put them on her shoulders and shook her violently.

Draco was fisting his own hands as he had watched his Mate being manhandled by the dolt. He was proud of her for finally saying what needed to be said, but the red one was making him furious. Then Weasley shook her again with more force and Draco had seen Hermione wince.

Then Weasley leaned down and kissed her with ferocity that he was sure would later bruise her delicate lips. Draco could see that Hermione was struggling to get away from him, but Weasley left her with no air or space. Draco heard a small whimper of pain escape her lips that he was sure no one else had heard. It was probably his veela hearing.

And that was it for him.

He stood and started to stalk slowly to the Gryffindor table.

Draco couldn't remember being so furious in his life. Weasley had just leaned toward her and acted as if he was allowed to kiss _his _Mate. Sure, he didn't know that Hermione was his, but Draco hadn't been thinking rationally. He had been thinking of the tearing feeling that jealousy brought on. Jealousy was like fire; it burned from the tips of his toes to every last strand of Draco's blonde hair. Jealousy was cruel to him, but it was something he knew well enough. Draco had always wanted things, but never something so badly. He had never wanted something as seemingly intangible and inaccessible as Hermione. He had also never before wanted to be in Weasley's place. But at that very moment, Draco would've given anything to be Weasley and have the ability to just kiss Hermione whenever he felt like it.

It both sickened Draco and angered him to want to be in Weasley's place. Why couldn't Hermione be even remotely attracted to him? Why couldn't Weasley or Potter have been the one for all those years to torture her and him the one she ran to? Why couldn't she cry on his shoulder when she was sad? Why couldn't he be the first person she thought to go to when she needed comfort instead of a goblet of butterbeer like last night?

Possessiveness was also running through his blood like some unstoppable current of crashing ocean waves. It was more of a dull, throbbing ache that was like something trying to be free of a slowly melting block of ice. It made him want to get rid of every single one of Potter and Weasley's limbs so they could never touch her again. It made him think of being alone with her and being able to kiss her and be the only one to ever love her. Possessiveness was even worse than the jealousy.

Draco moved silently around the tables and thankfully everyone was too busy with the current row to notice him. A few people gasped as Weasley's hand rose to Hermione as if to strike her. He could practically _feel_ his eyes turn black with fiery anger and covetousness. Fury shook him to the very core of his being and the veela blood in him was screaming for him to stop Weasley, to keep Hermione safe. Draco knew that his nearing the Golden Trio would make things become even more riotous, but he was beyond the point of caring. _His _Mate was in danger by one of her professed best friends, and he had to be there next to her to ensure her safety.

He just had to.

As Weasley's hand was lowering with intending force, Draco sped up his gait, not caring who was watching. His own hand shot out and he grabbed onto Weasley's wrist and snapped it back. He fought to keep himself from doing more like letting his fist connect with the redhead's jaw and making him vow to never be within a five foot radius of Hermione.

But that definitely would cause questions about his intentions to arise. And Draco didn't want people looking into his relationship with Hermione with disdain. He didn't need anyone to interfere and tell Hermione not to trust him; he just needed her to keep a clear head about him.

Hermione looked at him, completely shocked by the fact that he was even there let alone protecting her. There was a distinct pink tint on her cheeks from anger and everything about her mien was saying that she was near the unraveling point.

_(End Flashback)_

But now Draco was just standing there and looking down at his Mate and silently searching her for any signs of injury. Her robes were slightly bunched at her shoulder and there were imprints from where Weasley had been holding onto her.

As he saw that there was nothing too serious, he breathed in deeply and tried to calm the blood that was pounding through his veins with more intensity than adrenaline ever before. It was an odd sensation that he had never felt before and even though he would never admit it, it was terrifying to feel this way. It was like part of him wanted to murder Weasley for causing Hermione distress. And while Draco didn't like Weasley at _all_, he didn't want to kill him… But that wasn't what the veela in him wanted. The veela wanted to spill the git's blood, to spread it all over the walls for all to see that Hermione was _his._

Harry had stepped forward once he saw Malfoy approach Hermione. It didn't matter to him if Malfoy had just saved Hermione from a bruised face, Malfoy was still Malfoy. "Do you need something Malfoy?" He asked, his voice tense as he inched closer to Hermione who was massaging her shoulder with her hand.

Hermione didn't meet his gaze nor anyone else's, but kept her eyes glued to her feet and the cold stone ground.

"What kind of man hits a woman?" He inquired without looking away from the cowardly Gryffindor who was obviously trying to get away from him. Draco found himself having to bite back a sadistic smile at the fact that Weasley was afraid of him and showing it in front of so many. It made the veela blood in him swell with pride that he had kept his Mate from harm _and_ managed to downgrade Weasley all at once.

All the voices in the room went wild over the fact that Draco Malfoy had approached the _Gryffindor _table _willingly_. People dropped their forks as their friends nudged them, telling them of the show they thought to come. After all, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy have always been an amusing twosome to watch fight with each other. Some first years were asking what the big deal was and were put in the right by their upperclassmen. One thing all the segregated groups had in common was that they couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

"That's irrelevant." Harry said as he stared straight at Malfoy. But when their eyes connected, Harry was shocked to see pure black, not the usual detached steel grey he had come to connect with Malfoy. What was wrong with him?

Ron stepped toward Hermione. "I'm sorry, Mione. I wasn't going to hit you. I mean, I know that you were just going through a rebellious moment." At that, Hermione looked at Ron with more disdain than she ever had before. Did he honestly think that she was kidding?

Draco watched Hermione and saw the anger and pure exasperation in her eyes. She seemed so ready to give up but her stubborn Gryffindor nature would never let that happen. Instead she fought against the stupid git.

"It's not just a _moment_. It's just not right the way you treat me, Ron." Her eyes flashed dangerously and Draco had never seen such a cold brown color before in his life. It was like a sheen of ice had frozen over a piece of dark amber, there was no warmth or comfort in her eyes as there usually was.

"Come on, Mione." He moved even closer and grabbed at Hermione's arm. Hermione flinched and tried to tug her arm free of his grasp.

Draco flashed in front of Hermione and gently shoved her behind him so that he was staring down Weasley again. The redhead didn't back away, he only glared at Draco with more spite and ire in his eyes than Draco had ever felt directed towards himself.

Ron glowered right back while taking in ferret's form. He was arched like a cougar, poised to attack and ready to snarl. He met Ferret's gaze and that was when Ron noticed Malfoy's eyes. They were a deep color, like pitch and held no resemblance toward their normal molten silver pigmenting. It was terrifying to be held in those eyes' gaze. Ron felt like he was being filleted alive by the intensity of rage that the blonde was showing towards him. But what angered Ron more was the fact that Malfoy glanced back at Hermione with a look that he had never thought he would ever see Malfoy direct towards a Muggleborn, let alone Hermione.

Tenderness, possessiveness and glint of pure infatuation.

"What _are_ you doing here, ferret?" Ron was irate with the fact that Malfoy seemed to have some sort of sick obsession with Hermione. It was a despicable thought; Hermione and Malfoy.

An authoritative voice spoke out before Draco could make a response, "He was fetching Miss Granger for me. There seemed to be a sort of mix up on the Prefects' part with a Bogart turning into a Dementor..." His voice trailed ominously at the end, but he went on, "In fact Harry why don't you assist them? I know that Dementor's are your area of expertise... Mr. Weasley, you can come too." The old Headmaster's voice left no room for argument or questioning. So the two boys trailed after the man after giving Hermione a leaving glance.

Draco un-tensed a bit and breathed in deeply. Weasley was gone and his dirty little grubby hands were off _his _Mate. Hermione was standing in front of him now, looking confused and slightly angered at being left in the middle of a fight.

Draco saw that she a frown on her face and her lips were set in obstinacy. Hermione was almost... no, _pouting_. It was damn endearing. Even though she was scowling in the direction Weasley and Potter had gone, she looked good. It sent little shocks into her eyes, making the brown color even warmer. Anger suited her petite body well.

"I'm finished dinner anyway." She shoved past him and made her way to their common room. Draco could hear her mumbling to herself about idiotic redheads, crazy old professors and lastly, blonde ferrets. Draco nearly smiled.

Hermione had no idea why Malfoy had been there. The real reason he had been there. It was obvious that Professor Dumbledore had come up with the reason as to why he had marched over to her table. And then Dumbledore just took Harry and Ron from her before she could thoroughly get her point across.

It was infuriating, really.

oOo

Draco looked down to see Weaslette was staring at him, her eyes morphed into slits and her hands fisted. She didn't seem perturbed in the least at his icy gaze, so hateful and full of malevolence. Draco had to hand it to her, the girl didn't seem to take shite from anyone. She _was_ a female Quidditch player after all.

Weaslette grimaced at him and he flung an equal amount of disdain to her. She wasn't exactly someone he wanted to be near either.

His eyes travelled forward and he saw every single face in the room looking at him. The Gryffindor's all looked ready to throw insults and hexes at him if he didn't move it along. A few of them were eyeing him suspiciously. What did he want with one of their fellow Gryffindor's? They were a tight wound group of friends, and they didn't like having one of their own messed with.

"You wouldn't happen to need anything, would you Ferret?" Her voice was condescending and dangerously low. A slight smirk played at the edge of her lips and Draco rolled his eyes.

He was the king of patronizing smirks.

"Nope."

What a lie.

'_I want your friend to want me.'_ Draco snorted, he could hardly say that to her.

Everyone in the room was training their eyes on the Slytherin and he looked back down at the table and saw that Hermione had left a book at her seat. Draco leaned over and picked it up gingerly. There, there was his reason for going to the Gryffindor table. None of them needed to know she was his Mate and that he was absolutely fixated on her very being.

Draco turned on his heel. It was a sad excuse that wasn't even believable to his own ears.

Oh well, nothing he could do about that.

oOo

Harry shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the look that Dumbledore was giving him and Ron.

What were they here for?

Dumbledore hadn't said a word since they entered his chambers through the spiral staircase. He had simply motioned for them to sit before slowly seating himself in the large imperial looking chair. His sharp blue eyes had darted from Ron to Harry then settled back on the black haired boy. Dumbledore seemed to be having an internal debate, so neither of the boys said anything to disrupt his thinking.

"Has Miss Granger said anything odd about Mr. Malfoy?"

Both Ron and Harry looked at each other with questioning faces; this was about Malfoy? Neither of them had really thought that there had been a mix up with the Prefects, but a conversation about Malfoy was not what they were expecting.

Ron tensed and Harry gripped the edge of his chair like it was a lifeline. What, had Malfoy hurt someone? They knew it! He was an arse! Or maybe he had cheated on his tests to become Head Boy, or maybe he had found some way to band together a whole new group of Death Eaters. The terrible possibilities went on and on.

"No sir. Other than the two of them are at some sort of truce of civility." Harry piped. He had remembered Hermione saying that Malfoy wasn't calling her Mudblood anymore. Harry had been happy about that; he wasn't sure if he could've taken his best friend living with someone who would constantly tear them down. But, part of Harry was still unsure about how respectful Malfoy was being to Hermione. It just seemed impossible that after all those years that Malfoy could just change his ways and be courteous to Hermione.

There was an awkward silent pause as Dumbledore mulled something over in his head. Seeming to come to a conclusion, he said "Did either of you notice Mr. Malfoy's eyes?" Dumbledore looked grave and old. The only time he had ever been so… not Dumbledore-y was when the War had been going on.

Dumbledore knew that telling the two that their friend was now Malfoy's Mate was a bit of a hazard. But maybe if they knew, they wouldn't overreact if Malfoy approached them again. The questions would only get bigger and bigger if they didn't know.

But Dumbledore was leaving Hermione's awareness of Draco's veela blood to the veela himself. It was truly between the two of them. And it seemed as if Draco wasn't going to force Hermione into anything, but make her like him first. Dumbledore was proud that the boy who was so used to getting everything was going to work for Hermione. He knew she would be more receptive to the genuine than just being told and left to decide alone with no feelings for Malfoy.

"They were black, sir." Ron answered this time.

When Malfoy had come towards them he had been a tad bit frightened to see his eyes go from an unfeeling grey to dark, angry black. It had contrasted with his pale skin making him seem like some sort of vampire or demon right out of the seven rings of hell.

"Yes. They were black with possession." Ron and Harry looked at the old professor and didn't know what to say. Malfoy was possessed? Was it the _Imperio_ curse? Was someone making him do things? Oh gods, he was living with Hermione. He could hurt her or kill her or torture her.

"Malfoy is possessed? By what, sir?" Dumbledore gave them a knowing smile as his eyes twinkled brightly, making his once sallow looking face seem more alive. He knew something, as usual, and was flaunting it without knowing it. Harry and Ron wanted to know what it was.

"Not possessed by a being, possession like owning something. He felt possessive of Hermione when young Weasley kissed her." Ron looked away, still flushing at the somewhat uncomfortable memory.

Harry just stared at the old man wondering if he really, finally, had lost his sanity.

"I assure you Harry, I am perfectly sane. You know of veelas and their mates, correct?"

Neither of the boys liked where the conversation was going. Veelas, mates. Hermione and Malfoy. Boy, and _girl_; girl who just happened to be their best friend_._ Ron shivered as did Harry. Both of them were praying that their Headmaster wasn't saying that Malfoy was a veela and Hermione his Mate. That was unbelievable; they wouldn't accept it. Hermione was their friend, not some toy for a bloodsucking being. Much less a rich, Slytherin, ferret being.

That simply wasn't allowed.

"Yes sir, we know about veelas. But you can't mean that Malfoy is a---."

"That is exactly what I am implying. Mr. Malfoy is part veela, and Miss Granger is his Mate." Dumbledore readied himself for the onslaught, the yelling, and the nonstop barrage of questions. Harry simply sucked in air through his teeth in a ragged breath and Ron banged his fist down on the desk in front of him.

"That just can't be! He looked ready to kill earlier! He could hurt her! He _has _hurt her before!" Ron yelled, his voice reverberating in the stone room. Malfoy had seemed ready to rip someone apart, that wasn't safe. How could Dumbledore even suggest that the boy who had brought Hermione so much pain was some sort of _Mate_ for her?! Malfoy had torn her apart so many times, to the point where she hadn't smiled for a week. How could the old man really think that Hermione belonged the him? How?!

Fawkes gave an ungrateful squawk and tucked her head under her large brightly hued wing; trying to get some rest amongst the whizzing sounds of various little mechanical things.

"Mr. Malfoy was ready to kill. But for Hermione. No veela likes having their mate around the opposite gender; especially before they are marked. And there is no way that Mr. Malfoy would ever hurt her on purpose. He would sense it if she were in pain or in emotional agony in any way." Dumbledore saw as the unwanted information sunk into their stubborn heads. There was no way that either of them could stop the fact their best friend was Malfoy's Mate, so they would have to slowly accept it.

"But what about the past six years? He has hurt her in so many ways. He's called her a Mudblood, Malfoy has made her cry before. Ginny told me." Ron didn't want Hermione hurt, he loved her. But it was a twisted form of love. He knew that had taken advantage of her and that he was selfish, but he just wasn't willing to give up Quidditch or receive a howler a day. So, he used her for his homework. He didn't see anything wrong with that. But he also didn't want to see her belong to that self-centered, self-pleasing ferret who wouldn't think of her happiness.

"Mr. Malfoy's veela blood only fully awakened on the day you boarded the train." Ron remembered laughing so hard that his side had hurt when Malfoy fell. To make things better, his mum had been there, comforting him and he seemed like such a hopeless child. But Ron refused to feel bad for him. The whole situation was far too serious for Hermione.

She would have to live her life with someone who wouldn't care if she felt loved, someone who would be cruel to her and wouldn't give her every little thing she deserved. In the back of his brain, a small tidbit of information surfaced: A teacher had once said during class (Which class, he didn't remember or care) that a veela's mate didn't have to accept the veela. But then the veela would die. Ron knew Hermione wasn't a murderer. She would most likely take up the burden of Malfoy on her own and grudgingly accept him. Hermione was just far too nice for her own good. She had never complained about doing his work until tonight. That was over six years of low boiling anger on her part.

Harry cleared his throat, seeming to want to say something but having no idea how to start. "So we can't be near Hermione now? She's our best friend." Ron hadn't thought of that. Would they not be able to see their friend now that she belonged to Malfoy?

"You can be near her, just try not to touch her when you're in Malfoy's presence. Even then, he might smell your scent on her and get angry. Veelas are unpredictable until they have marked their mate and consummated."

Both of the teenage boys looked anywhere but at their professor's face. The very idea of Hermione and Malfoy together so intimately made them both a bit ill. Malfoy wasn't the type who seemed to be temperate. He would probably take pleasure only for himself and leave Hermione hurt and alone. It would be just like a Malfoy.

Harry knew that Lucius had hurt multiple women, including his own wife. There had been file after file of torture victims, rapes, abductions and unknown dead bodies all leading back to Lucius. Harry wasn't sure if he could handle his best _female_ friend being in the clutches of the next generation Malfoy. It wasn't a question of if he hurt her, it was when. Harry wanted Hermione to be happy and with someone who loved her. And it was clear that being with Malfoy made her feel a lot, but not love. Malfoy had a way of making Hermione livid, stubborn, and excited all at once. Lately though, he had seen her around Malfoy when they did their project together. Every time, Malfoy had his eyes glued on Hermione. It now made sense why Hermione had said that Malfoy was being pleasant to her.

Harry knew it was odd to think of, but maybe Malfoy and Hermione could actually be something. Just as long as Malfoy treated her with the utmost respect, care and honor she deserved, Harry could see himself… eventually growing used to them as a couple.

Ron looked at the desk in front of him as if ready to smash it. He was angry. And that was an understatement. Ron didn't want Hermione to belong to Draco Malfoy. He wanted her to be happy and safe and _alive_. Malfoy couldn't give her that, could he?

It was obvious he could feel possessive, but could he be gentle and loving? Would he be able to handle Hermione's low self-esteem carefully, or would he crush it completely with the hurtful words he was known for? Would he be able to hold her when there had been a hard day at work, or kiss her softly when she wanted to cry and her emotions became too much for her to handle? Could he do those things and become a good enough person for Hermione?

Who knew if Malfoy was capable of that; veela or not, he was still Malfoy.

Ron knew, deep down, that Malfoy would live to see his next birthday. Hermione would save him and Ron just knew it.

"You two are dismissed."

Harry and Ron left the headmaster with their minds full of information they had never wanted to hear.

**A/N: This chapter was un-beta'd. You can probably tell… But the point is, I'm looking for a bit of beta help. Jade is a bit busy with some things right now, and I understand her situation. So, if anyone wants to help me, please PM me or review to tell me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. **


	8. Books

This story overall is inspired by the song 'Absinth Minded' by Paatos. The lyrics are very Dramione-esque for this story. It's not my favorite song by them though. That would have to be 'Happiness'. Look um' up!

Disclaimer: Owning the characters of Harry Potter would take a lot of responsibility…. I'm too lazy for that. So, they're not mine.

**Chapter 8**

'**Books'**

Draco stood from the Slytherin table and trekked to his room. The day had seemed so blaringly long with Hermione in every one of his classes. It was almost impossible for him to keep himself from inching closer to her, just to feel her warmth. He couldn't stop seeing her body, covered in bubbles and the slightly glazed look in her eyes from the alcohol she had consumed. The reason why she was sad was still a mystery to him, and it was nagging at the back of his mind. But he had to shove it aside, if he questioned her about it he would probably only make her uncomfortable.

He somehow managed not to reach out and stroke her face or hands as she studied near him. It was truly a miracle especially with his less than noble thoughts spinning in his head when she walked around at night in only a short Gryffindor red robe and knee length sleep dress. Damn, the girl had perfect skin too. And then there were the long baths she would take just before him. Those were probably dangerous for his health. Her scent would penetrate every inch of the large bathroom and the humidity would push in on him, covering him in her distinct scent. It was nearly suffocating, but Draco would sometimes find himself just standing there, breathing her in deeply, even if her presence was far away.

His footsteps rang as he made his way up the stone stairs and to the last corridor before he reached his common room. Edalton was sitting at his painted desk while reading a book with his glasses sliding precariously down his straight nose. Draco opened his mouth to say the password, but Edalton put his finger up in a silent gesture telling him to wait. Draco stood and tapped his foot impatiently while shifting his books to his left arm and straightening his satchel.

"Are you finished yet?" He growled under his breath as the portrait flipped a page in its book. Edalton looked up and blinked languorously.

"You really must learn patience. Miss Hermione is quite the patient one." Draco raised an eyebrow at that. The portrait had left her standing out here too, with books straining her back? That was slightly irritating to him.

"Yes, she may be patient, but I am not. Now, _white brandy_." Draco muttered and watched as Edalton rolled his eyes condescendingly and opened to let the exasperated Head Boy enter.

Draco admired the fact that Hermione somehow had the ability to be so compassionate and selfless sometimes. It must be a Gryffindor thing since Potter was the same way. Weasley on the other hand was as far from selfless as Draco could think of. The way he had kissed Hermione in attempts to get her back just so she could do his homework was nearly Slytherin in execution.

Draco found the room to be empty except for a simple, blue book sitting on the coffee table. Draco eyed it surreptitiously, then edged towards it. It was addressed to him in slanted, royal blue script. He carefully pushed aside the old looking book and grabbed the paper.

Feeling a lot less sneaky now that he knew the book was for him, Draco unfolded the parchment piece and read its contents.

_I thought you might find this book to be helpful. Read it as soon as possible._

_-Dumbledore_

Draco picked up the book and shoved his way into his room while dropping his bag ungracefully on his bed. He sat in his chair and propped his feet on his desk and flipped open the book to the middle area, guessing most of the good information would come later. Sure, all information was important, but he needed the _real_ stuff. Like if there were any weird side affects to being a veela or whatever. If he was about to sprout a second set of eyes or something odd, Draco wanted to know it now.

The parchment used in the book was a creamish color from age yet the edges were completely perfect. Draco ran his finger over the paper and breathed deeply, fearing what he would find out yet oddly intrigued by it too. So, he started reading:

'_Veelas' eyes turn black from lust, anger, and possessiveness and sometimes as a warning to other veelas. Veelas mark their mate as a way to tell others that their mate belongs to them. Contrary to fictional beliefs, not only does a veela mark their mate, but the mate also marks the veela.'_

Draco's eyes widened.

Hermione would have to _bite_ him? The thought didn't repulse him at all… it kind of excited him. The idea of Hermione Granger sinking her perfect little white teeth into his skin biting him was an alien idea, but Draco was okay with it. He had known that, if she consented, he would have to mark her… But he just couldn't see her as the rough type. And as much as the idea of leaving a mating mark and love bites all over her body was a turn on, something in Draco wanted to be as gentle with her as possible.

Sure, the girl had helped defeat Voldemort and had kicked more arse than he had, but she just looked so delicate. With her soft brown eyes, golden skin, and subtle features, her very being screamed porcelain doll to him. Draco couldn't image kissing her hard against a wall without feeling guilty about her bruises later. And that feeling was totally foreign to him. Draco had never been an overly gentle lover, but whenever he looked at Hermione all he could see was himself being as caring as possible. He wanted to worship her until her heart broke from how much love he showed her.

Draco shuddered; it was _much _too early to think about making love to her. After all, he was working hard on their _friendship _and nothing more for a long while.

Why couldn't she be one of the girls who would've died to be his mate? Why couldn't it have been a girl who actually _liked_ him and wouldn't mind him sinking his teeth into their neck? That way he would have had someone who would _want_ him to bite them and make them his forever. And also, he wouldn't have to be so unsure of how long he was going to live. Should he start writing up a will and tell his mother that he loves her? His future was fuzzy for now, but that was just the way it was.

Draco knew he wasn't actually angry that Hermione was his Mate, it was just he was so used to getting what he wanted, _when _he wanted it. And he would have to work hard to earn Hermione's trust enough for her to actually consider saving his life.

Draco gritted his teeth, his body tense and stiff, and then looked down at the accursed book in his lap.

'_Veelas tend to overreact when it comes to their mates. If their mate is hurt, a veela will do anything to make the situation better for their mate. But with those dramatized emotions comes a factor of danger for those who want to do harm to the veela's mate. Veelas have been known to kill for their mate and will stop at nothing to keep their mate safe. Veelas have the ability to know if their mate is in danger. This connection becomes stronger once the two have marked each other and have consummated. Not only does the connection grow, but also does the bond between the mate and veela.'_

It was a scary thought to think that if someone hurt Hermione that he might… _Kill_ them.

Anger boiled inside of Draco at the sheer thought of someone laying an unwanted finger on Hermione. Like Weasley had done to her in the dining hall not all that long ago… It had sent his mind on a rampage of spite less ire. It would shatter his heart to see her in severe pain. Sure, he had seen her cry a few days ago, but she hadn't been physically _hurting_. If she had been bleeding or bruised or battered by someone… Draco knew that there would be blood on his hands from the individual who had hurt her.

Part of him was comforted by the fact that he would always know when she was hurt or needed him. It also explained the tugging feeling he had felt when Hermione had been crying in the bathroom.

'_Overall, a veela will do anything to make sure that their mate is happy. Veelas go to extremes to ensure that their mate has everything that they need and want. A veela lives to please their mate, and not doing s will cause the veela pain.'_

Draco grumbled in agitation. So… all of his free will was gone? There was no way he could ever be selfish or self-seeking again. So basically, being a veela was going to keep him from ever _taking_ from Hermione. He was always going to be _giving_. Even if she didn't want him, Draco was going to be unwillingly trying to make her happy. Draco didn't exactly fancy being a lapdog, and that was what being a veela made him. He would be a complete pushover and Hermione would win in every fight they would ever have just because of the fact that he wouldn't be able to stand the sight of her sad or unhappy.

But Draco knew that Hermione wasn't the type to take advantage of others. No, she was the type to _be _taken advantage of. Weasley was living proof of the fact that his witch was too nice to others. It was good to know that his Mate wouldn't take advantage of the fact that he would do anything for her. His free will would probably still exist just because Hermione wouldn't want to be around someone who was a suck up.

'_Veelas sometimes have the ability to attract their mate to them by meeting eye contact. It is a way for the veela and its counterpart to communicate and share emotions. It isn't like mindreading, but the basic emotions of fear, lust, and love can be shared by just a glance. Veelas have an instinct to know what their mate wants, especially during intercourse.'_

Draco's eyes brightened mischievously. He would know exactly how she would want to be kissed, where and whatever else she wanted without a single word being passed between them. And the thing with attracting Hermione to him with a glance… It sounded vaguely familiar; like he had already done that…

Then Draco remembered the day when they had been put together for their project. Their hands had touched and then they hadn't been able to pull away from each other. Her eyes had been so warm and welcoming and she had even moved closer to him. That was something she wouldn't have done normally, so Draco concluded that he must've been accidentally pulling her in.

It was then that a tempting idea came niggling its way into his mind: If he really wanted to, all he would have to do is seduce Hermione and then mark her… He wouldn't have to worry about her trust or even if she really liked him or not. She would then be his whether she wanted to or not.

Draco instantly felt evil at the very idea of pulling a Lothario and forcing Hermione into something without her consent. And he would hate himself if he were to do that to her, too. Hermione would resent him and probably never want to be near him even if he needed her. Draco wouldn't be able to live with himself if she was bitter to him. Hermione wasn't the type to take being handled lightly either; she would want to be clear-headed during something as important to her as her first time.

Yes, Draco was sure she hadn't been deflowered. There was innocence in her eyes and the way she looked at everything that was so rare amongst the people he was normally surrounded with. She wasn't childlike about it though. Draco knew Hermione had had a few boyfriends who had probably kissed her. (The thought of someone putting their lips on her infuriated him.) Who wouldn't want to, after all?

Subconsciously Draco was scared that if she chose to save him, he would hurt her. It would only take too much force in a nip, too much lust in a kiss; it would be easy to hurt her. But he would have to cross that bridge if he ever got to it.

Turning his attention back to the old tome, Draco read:

'_If a veela's mate dies, then the veela dies too. Heartbreak would rule them. However, if the veela has offspring, then it might live long enough to know that their offspring would be happy and taken care of.'_

The idea of dying because Hermione might not accept him was enough, but knowing that if she died he would too was a bit much. She was a part of the golden trio for Merlin's sake! They weren't known as the Kamikaze Gang for nothing. After all, they practically threw themselves into danger and willingly at that. So even if Draco lived to see his birthday, his life would still depend on Hermione. He didn't like that idea. He would have to watch every step Hermione took to make sure that he himself would stay alive.

So, not only was he a lapdog, he was a bodyguard too. And an overprotective boyfriend to be. (Hopefully)

"Malfoy."

Draco's head snapped nearly painfully towards his door and he saw Hermione standing there holding onto her books and satchel. Her hair looked as if she had pushed it away from her face repeatedly, and the sock on her right foot was slightly lower than its counterpart. Draco hoped dearly that she wasn't going back to being exhausted beyond belief.

"I finished reading the files. I wanted to know if you started the report about used ingredients from the past or if I should do it." Her voice was calm and she felt completely in her element talking about school work.

Hermione felt worn out, but it was a good kind of kind of dead beat. It was as if she had done a healthy amount of exercise then rested. So, Hermione welcomed the familiar and satisfying feeling that only came with a day of hard work. She had gone through all the files thoroughly and taken precise and neat notes on them. Every statement from the potioneers had been contemplated and written down for later quoting. The project was pulling her in somehow, and the educational emersion was like an old friend.

"Oh, I already completed that part of the project. You were already doing so much." Draco watched as a small smile bloomed on Hermione's face and she bounced on the balls of her feet once. If he had known that her reaction would be so nice, then he would've told her earlier. Hermione was an easy girl to please, it seemed. All he had to do was be fair and do his own amount of work dutifully and she would be happy with him.

"Great! Then we can start to figure out the cure for ourselves!" She actually sounded happy at the prospect of doing more work and, oddly enough, Draco was excited to figure out the cure too. Hermione was like no other girl he had ever met before and he was pretty sure that no one out there could compare to her. She made him not mind doing work so much and no other person had ever been able to do that. She was so persistent and brilliant…

Hermione was somehow flattered that Malfoy had thought to go ahead and do the work without her telling him to. And he did it because he didn't want her to have to. It was nice to have a partner who did their just amount of vocation and didn't complain about it. Malfoy was surprisingly pleasant to work with and he seemed to understand that Hermione liked to put in a little extra effort to the projects she did. It was much more rewarding to her if she got a good grade when the project had a little piece of herself in it.

Hermione shifted and procured one of the books from her pile to show him. "This lists some of the common ingredients used in curing draughts and potions. I thought that it might be useful."

Draco cocked an eyebrow. "What about the rest of those books?"

Hermione looked at him and saw the teasing smile on his face and laughed lightly. Never before in her life had she thought that she would live to see the day when Draco Malfoy was kindly teasing her. Years ago, she would have thought that there would never be a chance for them to even tolerate each other. But it seemed that things were changing.

And it was once again alarming.

"It's just some light reading." Her friends would always poke fun at her about her reading habits. They couldn't understand how she would actually _want_ to read thick volumes about magic entrepreneurs and spell creators. Sometimes even she herself couldn't understand why she thirsted for knowledge so much. Perhaps it was just her "thing". Like Harry was the bravest one of the trio and Ron was the persistence against evil.

Hermione's face went blank as Ron entered her thoughts for the first time in days. She had been avoiding him in all their shared classes and mealtimes. She wasn't sure that if she saw him that she would be able to not burst out in either anger or tears. Hermione had been evading Harry as well. If he were to look at her long enough, he would know that something was troubling her. Harry would want to know what was wrong and would, without doubt, find a way to wheedle it out of her. Hermione didn't want him to know about her rampant thoughts on the angering topic of Ron.

"Something wrong, Granger?" Draco watched as Hermione's face changed from lighthearted to a state of deep pondering. He found himself mesmerized by the way that she chewed on her lip while she was thinking and how her breaths slowed in pace. Her eyes glazed over and she gave a distant gaze as if she was miles away from him.

"Hmm… Ah, no. I was just wondering if we could start organizing our notes together." Hermione looked at him hopefully as she pulled a folder full of papers from the pile she was clutching against her chest. Ever the chivalrous man, Draco stood and motioned for Hermione to take his seat at his desk chair. She smiled lightly and sat before passing him the thick pile of notes, scrabbles and scrap papers.

Draco scanned the papers quickly and read every few sentences with not much interest to the actual words, but Hermione's neat and tiny scrawls. "Granger, you've outdone yourself." He said as he paged through what others would think would be the actual project itself, not just notes.

She smiled cheekily, "I like to be thorough."

He found himself smiling back. Gods, they could probably hand in her notes and get a better grade than Weasley. Draco snickered at that thought. Weasley would be nowhere without Hermione. Potter could at least hold his own in the world of education, and he at least tried without a Hermione workforce to do it for him.

Draco sat on the edge of his bed and dug into his satchel for his own notes and quill. Hermione reached for his notes and thumbed through them with wide eyes. He felt rather smug with the fact that his notes were nearly as good as hers. Draco had no doubt that Hermione hadn't seen such detailed notes from any of her close friends and he hoped that in a way she would make him out as more of an intellectual equal now.

"Malfoy, these are really good." Hermione looked up from his notes and smiled directly at him as respect shone in her eyes. Excitement was also evident in her cinnamon gaze, almost as if the fact that he was smart was good news to her.

"I think we are pretty equal, Granger." Draco smirked and she rolled her eyes but nodded her head in an obvious agreement.

Hermione spread her notes and Malfoy's over his desk and pulled out a quill to number the papers by whether or not they were going to be used for the first paragraph. She found herself being completely at ease in Malfoy's room, and she found that odd. His room was warmer than she had expected, with its deep green carpet and cream colored walls and honey wood bookshelves. She felt like she could easily stay here for hours.

"Malfoy, what did you mean by this?"

Draco stood and hovered over Hermione, placing one hand on the desk beside her and the other on the back of his chair so that he was leaning over her shoulder. Hermione pushed her hair back and Draco stiffened as a few stray curls brushed against his cheek. The scent of summer strawberries and lilacs seemed to encase him as he breathed air with her essence carried on it. She pointed out a sentence and Draco groaned as he read it.

'_Maybe some of _that _blood would work.' _

He had written that when he had heard that a potioneer had used vampire blood to create a near perfect cure. That had gotten him thinking that since veelas and vampires had some similar attributes that maybe their DNA composition would be somewhat alike. Then Draco had written it down without thinking that Hermione would later be looking over his notes. How stupid of him… Hermione was one to be organized so of course she would look at his notes.

"That was just a fluke… It doesn't mean anything." It was surprisingly hard for Draco to lie to Hermione. It was as if something was biting his tongue as he let out each word. So apparently the book had failed to mention that he would never be able to lie to Hermione too.

Sure, he would want to have a truthful relationship with her, but there were things that sometimes were better left untold or at least slightly tweaked.

Hermione turned and inhaled quickly when she noticed just how close Malfoy was to her. Her face met his chest and she slowly let her eyes travel to his face where his own ones were darker than usual. She wondered why that kept happening. The first day, then in class, when Ron had forcefully kissed her and they had fought… It was a bit odd…

He smelled like Satsuma and cardamom and it was the most stimulating and manly scent she had ever smelled. She had to pull away to keep herself from breathing him in. It was like a repeat of the day when they were assigned to work together… She hadn't been able to move away from him and it was the same feeling she was having now. It was that sinking cold that unscientifically made her warm. The tingling began and Hermione couldn't remove her eyes from his. They were pulling her in, sending her plummeting into depths of molten mercury.

Draco watched as Hermione's breathe quickened and her eyes blinked slowly as if to free herself from her thoughts. He reached his hand from the chair back to tuck a few curls behind her ear. Draco watched as it registered in her brain that he was touching he and but she didn't move away from him out of confusion.

Why was Malfoy freely touching her and acting as if it was nothing? He had a look on his face of pure contentment, and Hermione couldn't fathom why. She had a strong feeling that he was truly trying to form a friendship between them, but what was with the light touches and that kiss on her forehead a few days ago? They were small and comforting touches that she didn't mind receiving, but they were weird coming from Malfoy.

"Draco!"

Both of the teens snapped apart at a woman's voice calling Draco's name. Draco knew who it was, but Hermione didn't.

Was he inviting one of his Slytherin girlfriends over? For some reason the idea of Malfoy belonging to some conniving girl angered her and made her… jealous. And Hermione didn't like being jealous of anyone. She liked to work for whatever she wanted and never wanting what belonged to someone else. She was strong and independent; she wasn't one of those females who leeched onto men with money or power so she could get every little thing she desired.

Draco moved away from Hermione and pushed open his door to make his way to their Common Room. Hermione followed him numbly; unsure of how to react to her newly rising emotions.

Draco found his mother sitting on the edge of a leather chair with an expectant look on her face. She launched right into the reason why she was there. "Draco, Dumbledore told me what happened a few days ago. You can't do that!" She reached out and pulled him closer to her. "Darling, I'm worried. Are you going to make it? The law is on your side, you know." Narcissa lightly stroked his cheek and pushed his blonde bangs out of his face like she did when he was a child.

Hermione rounded the last corner and was shocked with what she saw. Narcissa Malfoy, the supposed icy rich woman, was whispering to her son and holding him like any good mother would. She was impeccably dressed in a fitted black skirt that reached her knees and a deep emerald blouse. A Muggle dark khaki trench coat was somewhat haphazardly thrown over the outfit and left untied. Her skin was pale and flawless and her eyes were an expressive shade of cornflower blue. Her whole being was transfixed on her son but when she looked up at Hermione, Mrs. Malfoy's whole expression changed from worried to something Hermione couldn't quite comprehend.

Draco noticed where his mother's gaze was directed and followed it. "Mother, this is Hermione Granger, the Head Girl." Draco's eyes moved from his Hermione to his mother. She already knew that the resident Head Girl was his Mate, but Hermione had no idea about his veela blood.

Narcissa eyed the flustered look on Hermione's face then looked to her son. He had his eyes fixed on her lips as she was worrying it with her straight little teeth. Narcissa looked over her son's Mate with great interest. She knew that Hermione was smart from her position as Head Girl and was very clever from how she worked with Harry Potter to end the reign of Voldemort. But as she looked closer, Narcissa saw the beauty that the girl held unknowingly. Her eyes were a coppery brown and her skin was a golden shade that looked naturally shiny and smooth. The girl had a petite figure that she mused would fit perfectly in her son's arms.

Hermione stood there waiting for cold and overly polite recognition but received unexpected warmth. "Miss Granger, it's nice to finally meet you." The woman held out her hand daintily and blinked expectantly. Hermione hesitantly reached her hand out and shook the other woman's hand. It was warm and smooth from what Hermione guessed was an expensive hand cream from a Muggle boutique. She had a distinct scent of water lilies that was very soft and feminine and motherly.

Hermione wondered where the infamous cold, pureblood prejudice attitude was. After all, Narcissa didn't seem at all put off by shaking a Muggleborn's hand. Instead there was kindness in the woman's smile and Hermione didn't know what to make of it.

"Has Draco been good?" Narcissa questioned playfully as she looked from her son to Hermione. The girl blushed at the straightforward question but answered nonetheless.

"He's been the perfect gentlemen." Hermione welcomed the warmth that the woman was offering wholeheartedly. It sort of made her feel bad about all those times she had thought that all Pureblood's were horribly biased. Sure, Malfoy had broken that mold, but it was nice to know that another Pureblood wasn't so traditionally predisposed.

"That's great." Narcissa smiled and looked at her son's face with great interest. Draco's eyes were a darker stormy color just by being in his Mate's presence. His gaze was roving over her body as if she was work of art or a gift ready to be opened but he wasn't allowed to. His hands were fisted at his sides as if it was taking a lot of restraint for him not to reach out and touch her. She could literally sense the desire and want and… _love-like_ emotions emanating from him. It hurt Narcissa that Draco was longing so much for Hermione and couldn't have her yet.

'_Yet.' _Narcissa clung to the hope that the girl would save her son so that she would be able to see his first child, his first dance with his wife and many more memories.

She absentmindedly wondered how the girl missed the heated look in his eyes whenever he was near her. She herself had only been in their presence for about two minutes and was catching the smoldering underlying lust coming from her son. Maybe the girl was just one of those emotional cripples or something…

"I'll um… Go gather my notes and leave you two." Hermione turned away towards Malfoy's room and didn't see Narcissa's quirked eyebrow.

"Ah… Granger, would you mind doing rounds alone tonight?"

Neither Narcissa nor Draco missed the way that Hermione's face went blank and her eyes lost their previous ruffled look. "I'll start at the bottom chambers then." Her voice sounded reedy and emotionless as she walked to Draco's room. It made Draco wonder if her rounds had something to do with why she had been sad the other night… He nearly regretted asking her to go alone if it would bother her. But he knew that he needed to talk to his mother, to _someone_ who knew what he was going through and could give decent enough advice.

"She was in your room? Did I interrupt something?" Narcissa teased lightly, trying to break the aura of rigidity that had settled over them. She had heard the rumors of her son being the Slytherin sex god. Yes, it was odd and a bit unsettling to know that your son was so popular amongst the woman population, but Narcissa just pretended to be blissfully unaware. It was better that way for both her and her son. There were less awkward conversations that way.

"Sort of." He said admittedly. Draco was ill at ease with the idea of his mother knowing too much about his life at Hogwarts. After all, his past with the girls at school was… interesting to say the least.

"Hmm… As I said before, Dumbledore told me about that incident a few days ago… He also told me that you want to win over Miss Granger." Her brow wrinkled delicately. "Draco, I'm proud that you want to do the noble thing, but I want my son to live through his next birthday. Like I said earlier, the law is one your side." She tugged at his shirtsleeve gently and pulled him into a hug. "I already lost your father, Draco, I can't lose you." Narcissa knew well that she was making Draco guilty, but that might be just what he needed.

Draco sighed and hugged his mother. She was pulling the 'you're-all-I-have' act again and he had desperately hoped she wouldn't. He wasn't one to be able to take a woman crying, least of all his mother. So in turn he became putty in her hands and scheming mind. She _was _a Slytherin after all.

"Mother, I wouldn't do that to her. She would resent me if I just made her mine." He dropped his head to her shoulder. "I _can't_ do that." He let out a shaky sigh and felt his mother's fingers smoothing his hair back.

Narcissa sensed the drop in Draco's mood and gently pulled up his face so she could look in his eyes. "Draco, she seemed happy enough to be around you. And I know you're doing your best."

"But mother… My reason for living has changed. I don't just want life for myself… I want to live _with _her… Forever." Gods, he wanted to sleep next to her every night for the rest of their days. He wanted to kiss her and hold her and he wanted little children to surround them. He wanted a warm home with her in it and for them to raise their kids the way he had wanted his childhood to be.

Visions of Hermione soundly asleep and rolled up in his sheets, her reading books to a small brown haired child and of her dancing at their wedding in a white dress bombarded him before he could stop the assault. Merlin, Draco wanted all those things and more.

Narcissa looked at her son with the utmost seriousness in her eyes. "Then that should give you even more of a reason to fight for a relationship with her." She didn't like seeing his so torn apart; no mother did. She wanted him to have whatever he wanted and a life with Hermione seemed to be it.

"I know." He whispered with an exhausted sigh.

"Draco, just please control yourself around her. If you really want her to fall in love with you first, then you need to be more consistent. She might think that there's something wrong with you." She was blunt and to the point, but that was just what Draco needed. Someone to give a little guidance and love.

"I know!" He growled lightly, "She just makes it so (He bit his tongue to keep from cursing in front of his mother) hard!"

Everything Hermione did made it more difficult for him to restrain himself. Her mellow voice, her sweet and innocent smiles, the way that her hips swayed when she walked; everything about her was enticing and arousing. Even her brain that annoyed others only made him want her more. Gods, he just wanted to reach out and touch her lips and skin and kiss her like he was meant to. The veela in him wanted to throw her onto his bed and make her his, but the sane part of his mind was saying that doing so would only mess up what they already had. And he knew that, but it was still tempting to just give up and go to Hermione and tell her that he was a veela. But she deserved to see that he could and would love her if she gave him a chance.

"I understand, darling. She's a beautiful young woman and she's rightfully yours."

"Damn right she is." He muttered under his breath.

Narcissa made no move to reprimand his language under such a stressed situation. She moved and sat down on the couch and motioned for Draco to join her. He sat and sunk low into the pillows with a sigh. Gods, things were just _so _twisted around here.

oOo

Hermione stalked the silent halls of Hogwarts with a mission in mind: to stay away from the Astronomy Towers. She didn't want a repeat of two nights ago. She wanted to return to her Common Room and drink a cup of earl grey tea with cream and read a book. Sure, it was simple and cliché, but Hermione just wanted some peace and quiet to clear her head of anything but fantasies and fiction books.

The silence in the hallways was nearly tangible and the shadows were dancing darkly across the walls and stone floor. Her wand, providing the light source by the ever handy _Lumos_, was held out as she trekked the passageway with learned ease. Hermione had memorized the outlay of all the halls so that she wouldn't get lost during rounds. The stories of previous Prefects and Heads being lost then never found had convinced her that knowing every nook and cranny of the castle would be convenient. A window near the end of the passage let in a small amount of moonlight that bounced off the armor of one of the knights on display. Everything was eerily calm and nothing at all like how the hallways were during school hours.

At least all was quiet until a pair of heavy footfalls joined her rhythmic steps.

Hermione turned and saw the outline of a tall person running towards her.

"Hermione!" The voice was deep and familiar to her. "'Mione, wait up!"

She grit her teeth as she recognized the person to be Ron. When he got within three feet of her, Hermione could clearly see his flame colored hair and bright blue eyes in her wandlight. She stood and let Ron catch his breath before he verbally assaulted her about God knows what. Honestly, Hermione was surprised to see him without his lips attached to Parvati or Lavender. But hey, weirder things have happened in Hogwarts.

"Look, I- I just wanted to saaaay I'm sorryyy." His words slurred together and she squinted to _really_ take in how he looked.

His clothes, a pair of Muggle blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, was extremely rumpled and his hair was in even worse shape. Hermione took a deep breath and noticed the slight scent of firewhiskey in the air and locked her jaw in controlled irritation. Ron was coming to her, drunk beyond belief, and apologizing. She had thought that maybe he would eventually come to her, and reevaluated what he had done, but he was being fake. It was just another empty apology.

"Ron, you shouldn't be out after hours." She evaded his pointless confession with fake worry. Hermione didn't actually mind the idea of giving him detention… But she knew that in the end she would probably feel slightly guilty.

"'Mione, I said I'm sorryyy." His voice was whining and it made Hermione wonder how she had ever had even the slightest interest in him. It wasn't as if he didn't gripe about things when he was sober too.

"I realize that." Hermione nearly shivered at the coldness that she directed to Ron. She hadn't known herself to be so… unfeeling before. But it seemed like Malfoy and Ron had switched places. Ron made her blood boil and made her feet itch with the sensation of getting as far away from him as possible, while Malfoy made her warm and protected.

"Welllll, you have to forgive me." He took a step closer and Hermione bristled visibly. After the way Ron had been the other day, who knew how he would treat her. He had a temper worse than Voldemort had evilness; fiery and quick.

"I…I can't lie to you, Ron." Hermione _wouldn't _let him off for the years of abuse of their friendship. She simply refused. He had just taken too much of an advantage of her for her to just forgive and forget. He had mangled her pride to the point where she forgot that she wasn't his maid, but a supposed friend. And she couldn't let that slide. She had self respect as well as self-preservation.

Ron's nostrils flared and his red hair seemed to stand on end from anger. "You don't FORGIVE ME?" His voice rang in the empty corridor, making her wonder how long it would be before someone heard them. Hermione desperately didn't want to hex him even if she was made beyond hell. He had once been her friend, and her own temper was a bit off the rocker. She didn't want him to end up bleeding as she let out all her rage.

Ron's hands grabbed at her forearms and he dragged her to him imposingly. Hermione winced in pain and tried to wrench herself free of his tight grip. But her attempts were futile and she knew it was going to be a repeat of the other day. He would do whatever he pleased and she would try to fight him the whole time. Ron trailed one hand up her arm to forcefully snap her head up to look at him. Then he kissed her.

It was like when they were in the dining hall but even worse. Ron licked her lower lip and Hermione shuddered at the revolting sensation. Merlin, she didn't want this! She pushed at his chest but it made absolutely no headway in getting him off her. Instead he bit down as if to punish her for retaliating. His mouth grew more insistent on hers and Hermione nimbly twisted her arm to free her wand form its trap between their bodies.

"_Petrificus Totalus._" She managed to mumble the words while her lips were under the brutal attack of Ron's.

And then it all stopped. Ron instantly froze and Hermione detangled herself from his tight grasp to quickly make her way back to the Head's Common Room.

All the way there she held her tears at bay. It was irrational for her to cry, but it felt like she was breaking at the seams. Why did people just trample on her? Did they not think she deserved respect?

Edalton deftly swung open to give her passage into the Common Room without asking any questions. After all, he was a portrait, not a counselor.

Hermione stumbled in and a small sob escaped her lips before she could stop it. She staggered to a chair and sunk into it ungracefully to lay her head on her folded arms. She completely missed the two sets of light colored eyes that had been trained on her since she had entered.

Wow… Sorry for leaving you that way! Cliffhangers are exasperating, no? But I promise that there will be a good amount of Draco and Hermione in the next chapter.


	9. Anologies of Sweets

The analogy later in the story (You'll know when it comes) was Jade's idea. And many thanks to my beta, CS Copenhagen for helping me! It means a lot!

A/N: I am SO sorry about how long this took. Although, I do have good news! I got the highest history exam grade: a 96! I'm rather proud of that… Even though the exam was like 2 weeks ago.. Heh..

Chapter dedicated to: Ingenuity15! Here's the start of "Draco and Hermione time" luv! I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 8

'Analogies of Sweets'

Both Narcissa and Draco watched as Hermione tripped into the room and sobbed lightly before sitting in one of the wooden kitchen chairs. Narcissa looked to her son questioningly, but she couldn't even get his attention. He was too caught up in staring at the trembling girl that was his Mate.

Draco stood slowly and crossed the space between himself and Hermione. He just eyed her crying form for a moment before resting his hand on her back. "Granger, what happened?" She didn't move an inch to acknowledge him but just kept sobbing her heart out on the table. She seemed beyond the reaching point at the moment, but Draco didn't leave her. His hand gently rubbed her convulsing back in circles as she cried until her shallow heaves slowed and her breaths calmed.

Then he asked again what was wrong.

This time Hermione looked up.

Draco's eyes were instantly drawn to her bloodied lip with raw looking teeth marks in it. It was as if someone had put a lot of force on her delicate skin, enough to draw blood which was beaded just on the center of the pout on her bottom lip. She seemed to notice what he was staring at and put her finger to her lip and when she drew it away it was covered in the red life-liquid. But she still didn't reply to his question and Draco was starting to worry. It was obvious that she hadn't bit her lip that hard on her own, the angle was all wrong for her to have bitten it herself anyway… And she seemed really torn up over something…

"Granger, come on, you didn't do that to yourself. Who did this?" He voiced his thoughts with a shaky breath.

"I don't see why it matters!" She stood to meet his gaze with anger in her eyes. Draco wasn't sure what he had done, but now she was mad at him. "I don't understand why you're bothering to ask me what's wrong! It doesn't _matter_!" Draco got the distinct feeling that she would've stomped her foot if his own one hadn't been in the way. Her eyes were sparked with emotion and it reminded him of how she had looked when they used to fight. Or whenever he would make fun of Potter or Weasley, there would be that fire in her eyes that was now present. But then there was also an air of vulnerability about her and it broke him to see her this way. Like, if a small breeze or an unfeeling word came her way, her weak façade would crack.

"Dammit, Granger it matters! You can't just let people push you around!" His voice involuntarily rose. He couldn't help it, really. There was still the infamous Malfoy temper in him that made him react badly even if she was his Mate. The human in him was sick and tired of her letting Weasley and others just take whatever they wanted from her. But the veela was a whole different story. It wanted to be the only one to ever take from her. It was like he wanted to grab a hold of her and never let anyone else touch her or look at her… He never wanted others to hurt her or ask things of her that she couldn't handle. Even if she tried to remain strong, it was so obvious to him when her breaking point was. And it seemed like others just pushed that limit over and over again; making it impossible for her to say no to them even if things got difficult for her. She just had too much pride and strength and thought she could take on everything. But the truth of the entire matter was, she was human and needed someone to lean on.

Hermione broke out in tears again. His own anger and attitude fell from its high state and came crashing back to earth.

Gods, he _hated_ seeing her cry. He hated it. He had hated it ever since he had seen her first cry days ago. And he detested it even more now, because it was something he said that made her cry.

Her red rimmed eyes were screwed shut and her head was bowed low as her body was wracked with sobs. Hermione's small hands were fisted and her hair fell around her face and shoulders in a wild disarray of chestnut and auburn curls. Everything about her said emotionally helpless and he didn't really know how to fix it. So he just went with his instincts.

Draco stepped closer to her and let his hand sit on her shoulder, testing how she would react to him comforting her for something he did. Thankfully, Hermione didn't tense up or flinch and seemed fine with his touch. So he pulled her weeping form to him and held her.

She continued crying and Draco did all he could to console her; rub her back, whisper 'I'm sorry' in her ear, and just let her fall apart. It was clear that she had needed a good cry over whatever had happened during her rounds, and Draco was only too happy to provide solace for her. Her fingers gripped at his shirt and her face was hidden in his collarbone, and he found himself not caring if his shirt was covered in tears and her blood. Merlin, all he wanted to do was right his wrong. He still was slightly angry at her for just letting herself be taken advantage of, but it hardly mattered. He had been stupid enough to say it out loud, so Draco felt that it was his fault she was crying.

Hermione's breath was hot on his skin and having her body right against his felt amazing, and Draco had to remind himself that she was _crying_. It was like a replay of the night when she had been only covered in bubbles and displayed right in front of him. At least now she was clothed. But Gods was she soft and feminine and shaped just for him… It was hard for him to not run his hands over her arms, and face or kiss her neck. Instead he settled for breathing in her scent, which was tainted with the copperiness of her blood and the saltiness of her tears and sweat, but was the essence of Hermione nonetheless.

Her desperate clinginess slowly eased up and her choked sobs became small, watery whines.

oOo

Hermione felt warm.

So perfectly warm and it was amazing. Malfoy had his arms around her and was calming her like a friend… like a _really_ close friend would. And he didn't even know why she was crying, yet he was comforting her and letting her break apart for a much needed sob fest. He wasn't questioning her (Well at least he stopped once she started crying), but letting her just take of his strength and warmth and it moved her heart. Merlin, the man was doing everything to slow her tears and he seemed so _genuine_ in wanting her to feel better. She didn't want to pull away ever, and it was scary. She wanted to stay in _Malfoy's_ arms and have him hold her like this all the time.

'_So this is what it feels like to be one of those girls he cares about.' _Her mind was still bitter about all those girls who must get the same treatment as she was now. All those lucky, lucky girls who would get to hold him the same way he was holding her now and all those girls who would kiss him and whisper that they wanted him. It nearly made her nauseous and she didn't know why. Why should it bother her if he had countless lovers? Or if there was a girl who got to wake up next to him? It shouldn't bother her.

But it did.

Maybe it was because he was the first person to tell her to stand up for herself and stop being a doormat. Or maybe it was the sweetness he was showing her without even realizing it. Or possibly because he was being so bloody caring and trying to mend what he had done for the past six years. She hadn't once thought that he would try, but he was. He was really trying to be a better person. And he was trying to be better for _her_. That in itself was a gratifying fact. No one had ever tried to change because of her. It gave her an odd sense of pride that she had such an effect on anyone let alone Malfoy.

A slight shift in her mind became apparent to her:

Malfoy wasn't all bad. He was good, or at least could be. And it was a true change in him, not some fake change or stupid joke.

Hermione sniffled and reached to wipe away at the tears but Malfoy's pale hand caught her own one. He deftly removed the saltiness from her cheeks and used his thumb to rid her eyelashes of the moisture that had collected there like dew droplets. Her breath caught in her throat at his actions; such simple gestures, but he seemed to do them with the utmost care. It was both unnerving and exhilarating to have someone show so much gentleness after Ron being a violent git earlier. Malfoy was like calm _after_ a storm and that was unexpected; for him to bring her serenity like no one had before. Only Harry and Ginny had ever been anywhere near as caring as Malfoy was being.

He rummaged through one of his pockets in his tailored black school robes and came out with a red handkerchief. She frowned slightly at the color of it. Hermione had expected something green or silver or maybe black at the least. But it was a red kerchief he had in his possession.

Odd.

Malfoy mildly smoothed her hair out of her face and moved the cloth piece to her lips. He softly and gradually rubbed the blood away and looked at her questioningly. Hermione sighed then. After all, Malfoy had helped her and soothed her, the least she could do was tell him why she had such an outburst.

"You already know what happened at dinner a few days ago…" She knew that she was mumbling to herself, but Hermione didn't care. "Ron tried to tell me he was sorry about what he had said and done." Hermione winced lightly as Malfoy's handkerchief passed over a tender spot on her lip where Ron's teeth had really done a number. He mumbled a 'sorry' and moved to the other side of her mouth. "But he was drunk…" Hermione trailed off but knew that Malfoy could read in between the lines as to what had happened. She looked up and saw the anxiety and anger in his eyes… And the _darkness_. They were an obsidian color that reminded her of the sky on a moonless night.

"He didn't do anything else to you, did he?" His eyes darted all over her body as if he was searching for more damage or blood. Malfoy's voice was tight and tense like he was angry about the prospect of her being hurt. Why would he be angry about it anyway?

"No… He was drunk anyway..." She didn't meet his gaze as she said the last part. Hermione felt like she was still clinging to the idea that maybe Ron could be decent. Merlin, she had known him since she was eleven, and he _had_ been her friend then. Then he grew up to take advantage of her. Maybe if she hadn't been such a pushover when they had been younger none of this stupidity would've happened.

"Granger, don't defend him. He's a bloody full-blown bastard." Malfoy sounded absolutely convicted and forcefully calm, but his stance said he was anything but. The hand that wasn't wiping at her lip was clenched and a hard looking frown was gracing his face. "You deserve to be treated better, Granger." His finger stroked her cheek. "So much better." Hermione kept her eyes glued to his and she could see them fluctuating from a dark black to a deep grey.

She didn't know what to say.

"Malfoy… I-I'm confused." She pulled out of his comfortable grasp and instantly wished she hadn't. "Really, really confused." He was being so kind and it was making her mind go a mile a minute. All her thoughts were jumbled up worse than her notes before N.E.W.T. testing. Hermione didn't know what she wanted or what _he_ wanted. Did he even want a friendship, or would he, in the end, take advantage of her too? All relationships were a risk to take, and she wasn't sure what to do about Malfoy. He could become like Ron and want things from her…

"You should probably heal your lip before you go to bed." His voice was softer and his eyes were pleading her to understand. And she didn't know what she was supposed to understand.

Hermione turned and walked the other way with her own arms wrapped around herself, trying to become as warm as she had been with Malfoy.

It wasn't working.

oOo

Narcissa felt… a lot of things.

She felt love for her son, who was being so caring. After all, she had raised the boy, and what good mother didn't like to see their child do something nice? It made her heart feel warm at the utmost tenderness and _love_ he was showing to Hermione. Draco had just made her _so_ proud. He proved to her that even after the spite Lucius had showed him, he could be a loving and sensitive individual with emotions enough to care about someone.

She was sad for Hermione, though. The whole story wasn't known to her, but it seemed like someone had hurt her on a few occasion. And tonight was one of those occasions. It hurt her to see her son's Mate so broken and torn. It made her normally cheerful attitude into one of sorrowfulness to see Draco so unsure of what to do; to tell her that he was a veela, or not to? But he was doing well at making his feelings come across to Hermione, that Narcissa felt just a little bit surer that she would see her son on the day of his birthday. All he needed to do was give the poor girl some clarification…

"Hell Merlin! What did I do now?" She watched as he kicked the wall, undoubtedly leaving a mark there and a bruise on his foot. Draco paced and pulled at his hair in anger and confusion. "Did I do something wrong? Did I not say something I should've?" He turned to her with a wild, questioning look in his eyes. "What was it?" Separate pieces of his locks stuck out in odd positions, making him look like a mad-man.

Narcissa shook her head and spoke sympathetically to her estranged son. "Darling, you didn't do anything wrong." Draco stopped walking back and forth and gave her a look that said to go on. "Put yourself in her shoes. After six years of tormenting and teasing her, you're suddenly holding her like a lover would?" Gods, he had held her so close that Narcissa had almost felt like she shouldn't have been watching. It was intimate looking whether or not either of the teens realized it. "And I'm sure she's confused about the person who hurt her if she's defending him after he… _bit_ her." Narcissa was nearly sure that she could see Draco's eyes darken at the mention of his Mate being hurt. But who knew, the lighting in the room was horrible. "She might feel like you're a hypocrite after telling her she deserves to be treated better , especially considering your past. Just give her time." She advised sagely as she gave her son a slow, small smile of encouragement.

Draco nodded and watched as his mother tied the front of her trench coat. "I really should go now." He nodded again and let his mother kiss his cheek and fuss over his hair once more , before she walked out of the Head Common room to Dumbledore's. He numbly sat and let out a gusty sigh. He had some waiting to do now.

oOo

It had been a little over a week since Hermione had been in his arms. Since then , she had gone out of her way to avoid Malfoy at all times. She had gone as far as to leave for rounds earlier than him and to do her projects in the Gryffindor Tower. She was just so overwhelmed with everything to do with Malfoy that it was driving her insane. What should she do, what should she say to him? Should she even talk to him or give him a chance? That was what she spent all of her cold nights wondering.

During the day she threw herself into her schoolwork like she never had before. Even Ginny and Harry had noticed the changes in the way she was acting. Ron had been staying away from her ever since that night. Maybe he had realized what he'd done and was embarrassed by it, or maybe he was too busy snogging Parvati to care about what he did. Or it could've been the alcohol he consumed that clouded his memory. Ginny had eventually asked what was wrong and Hermione had spilled it all. She had really needed someone to talk to, and Ginny always gave good advice when it came to relationships.

_(Flash Back)_

"Herms, what's wrong? Why aren't you in your own common room?" Ginny had come back from Quidditch practice to the sight of Hermione in a leather chair with a thick tome in her hands. She seemed distracted. Ginny knew Hermione was a fast reader, but she had been on the same page for over four minutes.

Hermione looked up and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. Why do you and Harry keep asking that?" Honestly, it was annoying to have them looking at her with suspicion in their eyes. They were treating her like a child and asking what they could do for her as if she was some sort of invalid. All she wanted was time to think and figure things out about Malfoy and Ron.

"Herms, that's because there's something wrong. I can tell." Ginny looked pointedly to the piles upon piles of homework and extra credit that was next to Hermione. "Even you don't focus _this _much on your work." She dropped her Quidditch things to the ground and joined her older friend. Hermione put down her book and sighed while running her hands anxiously through her slightly knotted hair. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to.

"It's just Malfoy." Hermione's voice sounded uncharacteristically exhausted and it worried Ginny. Her friend was one of the most organized and emotionally stable people that she knew. Seeing her confused was an odd occurrence. It made Ginny vaguely wonder if an apocalypse was coming.

"What did he do?" Ginny's brows knit together. Both Ron and Harry acted weird at the mere mention of Malfoy and especially if Hermione was involved. It was like they knew something that everyone else didn't. Ginny had asked them of course, but they had said it was a secret. That had only made her want to know more.

"A while ago, Ron…Um-" Hermione looked at Ginny, clearly uncomfortable. It was her brother she was about to talk about anyway. Ginny simply nodded for Hermione to keep speaking. "He was, uh, drunk and he kind of…_attacked_ me." Hermione looked at Ginny uncertainly. Hermione grimaced at her less than light choice of words, but that was what had happened.

"No wonder he's been staying away from you! That stupid git! What did he do to you?" Her tone was loose and cross.

"He kissed me then bit my lip." Hermione turned away, embarrassed to tell her that her brother had done that to her.

Ginny's face turned a red shade that was reminiscent of her hair. Hermione was nearly sure that she could see little electric shocks coming off the tips. Her normally docile, doe brown eyes were full of ire. "My _brother?_! I'm am _so_ going to kill him!" Gods, how could he do that to someone he called his friend? That was utterly horrible! He had taken advantage of Hermione and then he assaulted her physically. What a bastard he was. She was nearly ashamed of having him as kin…

Hermione said nothing.

Ginny took calming breaths. Hermione had said that it was Malfoy who had her mind in mix, not Ron. And she needed to talk about it even if Ginny wanted to leave and find her idiot brother and hit him _very_ hard. "So… What does this have to do with the ferret?"

"I forgot that he and his mother were still there." Ginny's eyes widened. Narcissa Malfoy had been there?

"What was she like?" Ginny couldn't help it. After all, the woman had birthed Draco, who was a mean and surly boy. Had she mocked Hermione for being a Muggleborn? Or had she paid no attention her and acted like she was a chewed piece of Drooble's Best stuck to the bottom of her shoe? All kinds of possibilities went running through Ginny's head.

"Oh, she was delightful. She even joked with me." Ginny just stared at her in awe. It probably had something to do with that secret that Harry and Ron were keeping from her… "I was just as surprised as you are, trust me."

Ginny shook her head to get back on course. "So, what happened?"

"I came back from my rounds after Ron and I had our… tiff. And I just kind of started crying in the kitchen." Hermione seemed mortified of her reaction and Ginny reached out to take her hand reassuringly. She thought that Hermione had every right to act the way she had. "Malfoy just kind of came over and put his hand on my shoulder until I stopped crying." Ginny looked at Hermione, amazed that she had gotten Draco Malfoy to feel sympathy for her. He had never done anything like that for anyone before. "He saw my lip and asked me who did it. I told him that it didn't matter, and he kept insisting that it did. He told me I can't let people push me around." Hermione looked at her mary-jane covered feet. "I realized that he was right and started crying… _again_. I had truly let Ron just do whatever he wanted. Other people too." She let out a deep breath. "He put his hand on my shoulder again, and then he held me."

Ginny's eyes flew open in shock. Draco Malfoy, who had been a right git to Hermione for all those years, had _held_ her? "Did he try to do something to you?" Everyone knew the rumors about Malfoy. Particularly the females had their stories of his fetish for sex. He and Hermione lived in such close quarters, who knew what kind of lies he would feed her to get her into his bed. Ginny knew that Hermione valued herself and her body, but she was a secret romantic who longed for a little attention and appreciation. And if Malfoy provided that, Hermione would be liable to fall for it.

"No. He comforted me and told me he was sorry for making me cry. He wiped away my tears for me." Ginny could hear the slight longing in her voice, but didn't bring it up. "Then he got out a handkerchief and got rid of the blood on my lip. Malfoy asked me what had happened and I told him." Hermione squirmed as if she was uncomfortable to be revealing what had happened. "He asked me if Ron did anything else to me like it mattered to him. I said no and reminded him that Ron had been drunk. Malfoy got angry at me said that I shouldn't defend Ron. He said that Ron's a bastard-" She looked apologetically to Ginny and went on, "And he said I deserve to be treated better."

Ginny just looked at Hermione in disbelief. "Well he's a bloody hypocrite." She muttered too quietly for Hermione to hear. It was obvious that she was honestly thinking Malfoy was better now, and if he truly was, Ginny didn't want to stop a possible friendship.

"His eyes were so dark…" Hermione mused aloud.

Ginny frowned in confusion."Herms, Malfoy's eyes are grey. A light grey."

"I know. But they were black and then a really dark grey color." Or maybe she was under some sort of spell? Or had she just been really tired and had imagined things? Ginny knew that Hermione wasn't one to make things up or imagine things, so it had to be true…

"Then when I told him I was confused, he didn't get mad. He just told me to make sure to heal my lip." Hermione _sounded_ confused. "He seemed genuine."

"Herms, you need to talk to him. If you think he's earned a chance, let him know." Ginny didn't want Hermione to be hurt by another one of Malfoy's infamous pranks. She didn't deserve to be treated like shite. She should have someone to build her up and tell her what an amazing person she is.

And once again, Hermione proved to be a kind person; "I think I will."

_(End Flash Back)_

Hermione sat up in her bed and put the Transfiguration book in her hand aside. She had been working on an extra credit report on people who had turned into animals without being an animagus. It was fascinating to hear of all the people and their separate stories. Well at least it had been until her stomach growled. Hermione remembered that she hadn't eaten since lunch… or was it breakfast…?

Hermione stood and cautiously exited her room, making sure her door didn't creak when she opened it. The hallway only had three sconce candle that were lit and casting shadows across the stone walls. The urge to have something sweet overcame her and Hermione knew that chocolate would be the best bet. She felt a bit guilty about skipping meals and replacing them with sugar, but she thought she deserved a little bit of indulgence. When she opened the self-providing cabinet, there was a bar of chocolate waiting for her. Hermione set it down and reached for a mug for her favorite earl grey tea. She hummed to herself as she filled her mug with a wave of her wand. The boiled water left a trilling trail of steam that danced in the air. She gently poured a bit of cream in the tea, added sugar, then mixed it all with a silver spoon. She sat and took a long sip from the mug; letting the hot liquid warm her insides. Hermione broke off a small piece of Honeyduke's finest dark chocolate. The sugary taste spread through her mouth as she feasted, leaving a smooth and somewhat bitter flavor.

When a tiny morsel fell on her sweater, Hermione grumbled and picked it off before it melted into the cottony fabric. Not wanting a reoccurrence, Hermione gently tugged the heavy material over her head and let it sit next to her on the table. She licked her lips at the feeling of saccharine melted chocolate gathering there. She reveled in the warmth of the moment and the serenity. Calmness hung over her like a welcomed storm cloud, raining peace and comfort. A bit of chocolate was just below her collarbone but Hermione just giggled and swiped it off with her thumb. Her eyes darted around as if she was afraid of someone watching, then saw no one so she licked the chocolate off her finger and let a lazy smile fall over her features and her eyes close in contentment. Gods, chocolate had to be one of the most amazing things in the world.

A groan was heard and Hermione's eyes snapped open wide, like a child caught by a boggart, to the sight of Malfoy.

"Malfoy… How long have you been there?" Her voice was small but tight and controlled.

"Long enough." She could practically hear the smirk in his words.

Hermione was embarrassed by the situation she was in. She had thought she was alone, humming to herself only and eating chocolate to her heart's content. But she wasn't. Malfoy had been watching her as she gorged her face with sweets and when she licked her finger clean like some sort of insatiable animal that hadn't eaten in years. It was a tad bit unnerving to have you male roommate see you in such a blithe state, especially after your rocky background.

Draco smiled as she looked away in discomfiture. Gods, she was so easy to fluster.

Draco had been spending his week away from Hermione. It had broken him to do so, but he could tell she needed time to figure out if he was being legitimate. All of those days, hours, seconds, whatever, he had been growing more and more anxious to be in her presence again. He took advantage of the fact that they sat near each other and classes. He had been downgraded to pretending to drop his quill just so he could be closer. And then there were the looks from Potter and Weasley every time he did that.

It truly was peculiar.

Potter would just nod gravely as if he was giving some sort of consent, and Weasley's face would just turn a bright red color. Of course then, Draco would have to resist punching the Weasel. He still hadn't gotten over what he'd done to Hermione. Nonetheless, it made him think that they knew more than he wanted them to.

But he hoped tonight would be a good night to get her back on speaking terms with him.

He had heard her sneak out of her room and his mind had gone a mile a minute. Was she sneaking out to be with someone? Did she have a lover, a boyfriend, or some sort of significant other?

But then she had gone into the kitchen to get tea and chocolate. His whole body had sighed in relief that there wasn't any competition. Of course he'd win, but that wasn't the point. If there had been a person who touched her in ways he longed to, their blood would be used to write his homework assignments for a few months to come.

He had followed her and stood in the shadow of the hallway where she couldn't see him. Hermione's body had been clothed in a pair of tight, black pants and dark blue sweater. Every single normally hidden curve had been hinted to as she had flitted about, reaching for her tea and such. She had eaten her chocolate in contentment until it fell on her wool-like sweater. His eyes had darkened when she had removed it. Her thumbs had grazed over her soft skin and her hair became even more of a mess than before. And then she had licked her lips… Gods, he had wished he could've done that for her. Hermione had even licked the sweet substance off her finger. That was when he wondered if she knew he was watching. It was like she knew exactly what to do to drive him insane…

Then he just _had _to groan.

It was kind of humiliating to be found watching her from the shadows. But thankfully, Hermione didn't bring it up. Her brown eyes were darting around the room and landing on anything but him. Draco cleared his throat and Hermione finally looked at him. He looked pointedly at her hands and he saw Hermione frown lightly at him. Draco laughed under his breath at the face she was making. It wasn't like he had asked to borrow her beloved copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ then burned it to ashes.

Hermione had to resist the urge to pout when Malfoy silently asked for some of _her_ chocolate. She knew she was being childish and irrational, but she adored her chocolate. But she grudgingly broke off a piece and handed it to him, their fingers brushing lightly.

Draco breathed in deeply and found the scent of Hermione lingering on the piece of chocolate. The sugary aroma was altered by her fresh lilac perfume, making it all the more mouthwatering. When he bit down, Draco found it to be the most diversely flavored thing he'd ever eaten. "My gods, this chocolate is amazing." He didn't know he voiced his thoughts until Hermione looked at him rather smugly.

"I know…" Hermione mulled over something in her head. Should she tell Malfoy that she thought he deserved a chance…? He _was_ standing right in front of her, looking easygoing and ready to talk. It was a golden opportunity.

A brilliant idea hit her and she elaborated. "It's my new favorite kind. It's dark chocolate…" Malfoy just looked at her as she spoke, unsure of where she was going with this conversation. She wasn't one to just mince words; everything had a meaning.

"I used to like milk chocolate, but now I find it too sweet for me. But dark chocolate is different. It has a bitter taste that I used to despise… But I just never took the time to enjoy it." Hermione breathed in deeply then exhaled. "And I found that dark chocolate can be really good." Her voice got lower and a hazy pink blush spread over her cheeks. "But there are times when dark chocolate is still an absolute pain to me." She said with a small, embarrassed smile.

Draco just looked at his Mate in complete and utter shock. He could read between her words. Did this mean she was giving him a chance? Would he be able to prove himself to her?

"I think we're talking about something more than chocolate, right?" Draco watched as Hermione got even redder. She fidgeted with the ring on her finger, twirling it on her right hand until she looked up to meet his gaze.

'_She's adorable.'_ Draco thought absently. Her nervousness was endearing.

"Yes. Maybe dark chocolate could… confirm that it has changed for the better." Draco could hear the anxiety in her voice, but also the fact that she was biting back a smile. He reached over and took her free hand in his own. Draco had to ignore the tingling feeling that her touch brought to him.

"I think dark chocolate would be more than happy to prove that to you."

Gods, he was happy. Draco gave her hand a small squeeze and he saw a full-blown smile spread over her face. He felt so free and light and it was amazing.

The two of them stayed up until midnight, enjoying each other's presence and eating chocolate and drinking tea.

End A/N: I realized that the chapter numbers are all off… I plan on fixing it, don't worry. I just haven't been able to access my computer as of late. Sorry about this chapter being so short… It's like only 12 Microsoft Word pages… I hope you guys liked it though. I think it was rather productive.


	10. Understandings

Song inspiration: Lacrymosa by Evanescence – Don't ask why, it just helped me… It kinda works for a later scene I suppose….

Much thanks to: CS Copenhagen for being such an encouraging and supportive beta!

Chapter dedicated to: **Lillith Aurora**! Thank you so much for taking your time to review! Another special dedication/mention goes to: **numbdramione2005**! Thanks for being the first EVER to give me my 100th review (on one single story)! It means so much that people took their precious time to read this story!

A/N: Correction, the _next_ chapter is the EPIC one! I confused myself by thinking that this one was the big deal chappie. But it's not.

**Sorry about how long this took. I was on vacation without WIFI for way too long. **

**Chapter 9**

'**Understandings'**

"Malfoy, we need to talk to you."

Draco looked up from his book and scowled at the sight of two Gryffindor forms blocking the light from the chandelier. Potter had his hands clenched at his sides and Weasley's were crossed in front of his chest, making him look an awful lot like his fuming, red-haired mum. They exchanged a glance before looking back at Draco with nearly identical frowns on their faces.

"To what do I owe the honor?" Draco inquired sarcastically. He refused to show any signs the he was surprised that they were coming to him.

"It's about Hermione." The male two thirds of the Golden Trio glared down at him and Draco stood to meet their height imposingly.

"Is she alright?" Draco couldn't help it. His first instinct was to worry about her, to wonder if she was okay. What other reason would they have to come near him other than to tell him that something had happened to his roommate?

Weasley's lip twitched and Potter exhaled deeply. "She's fine… I think…" Harry shook his head, "But the point is you better not do anything stupid to her. She's too good for you." The Gryffindor boys watched as their enemy's face lit in recognition. So he understood why they were there.

"So Dumbledore told you?" It was an odd sort of injustice to know that the headmaster had told the two people who would probably tell Hermione she was his Mate. Draco was angry that the headmaster had decided to reveal the secret that was _his_ to tell. He had wanted Hermione to be the first one to know, aside from his mother and Dumbledore himself. There was always the chance that Potter or Weasley would tell others and Hermione would find out through the grapevine. Draco desperately didn't want that. He wanted to stick to his plan of winning her over before telling her.

"So she really is your Mate?" Potter seemed to be the one that was going to be doing the talking. Draco didn't have as much ire toward him as he did to Weasley. Potter at least tried to be a good friend and had also stood up for her in the past. Weasley was the one who Draco wanted to decapitate limb from limb for biting her and making her cry…

"Yes." Draco tilted his chin up and pursed his lips, waiting for one of them to have some sort of reaction.

But there was none. Potter just nodded to him and Weasley huffed, irritated. "There's nothing we can do about that… But treat her right." Draco's eyes narrowed at Weasley's words. He was here telling him that he needed to treat Hermione right when he had the one to hurt her? That little prat…

"Same goes for you, Weasel." Draco said snarkily.

Potter turned to look at Ron questioningly. "Did something else happen? Other than the thing in the Dining Hall?" Weasley looked away from his friend in what seemed to be embarrassment.

"Oh, you didn't tell your dear Potter what you did? Are you ashamed?" Draco's voice was a mocking tone that rivaled that of his Aunt Bellatrix. Potter just looked between his fellow Gryffindor, whose hands were fisted, then to Draco. Potter just looked at him questioningly and the blonde elaborated. "Oh, he drunkenly attacked her in a hallway."

"It wasn't that bad! And it's not like you haven't done things to her in the past! She's came to _us_, her _real_ friends, crying over you before!" Ron spat out as he looked back up Draco with angry eyes. He was being childishly possessive by pointing out that Draco wasn't on Hermione's list of close acquaintances, undermining what he had done by making it seem like digging his teeth into her was nothing, and reminding him of the stupid things he's done in the past all at once.

Flashes of calling Hermione a Mudblood, of telling her she was a know-it-all and of poking fun at her, with his Slytherin friends, hit him. It made him feel like a total git. Draco imagined Hermione running to Potter, after he made fun of her, and him holding her. Merlin, it pissed him off! He wasted all those years not knowing how amazing she was. He stayed loyal to his father's bigotry and stupidity, even though it was so wrong. Draco shook it off, not wanting the Weasel to know that his words had affected him.

"She came back to the Common Room crying. Her lip was bleeding because you _bit_ her. It wasn't nothing. Gods, what were you planning to do, rape her?" Draco's ire grew. The idea of Weasley running his nasty fingers over her body, making her whimper in pain as he took his pleasure freely made Draco ill. He could feel his jaw twitching and his knuckles crack under the pressure he was putting on them by forcing himself not to lash out. He knew that Hermione wouldn't appreciate it if he beat the stupid red git to a pulp even if he deserved it. She just had too much damn compassion.

"No! I would never do that! What about you? Huh? Tried feeling her up lately?" Weasley stupidly stepped closer and Draco grabbed him by the scruff of his robes, pulling him so that they were face to face and the same height. Weasley's eyes met his own dark ones, and the redhead started to struggle to get away. Draco's grip stayed iron tight and left the Weasel without an inch of leeway.

"No, you bastard. I'd let myself die on my birthday before I'd forced her to do anything." Gods, he was turning into a sentimental milksop in front of his enemies, but it was the truth. And it was somewhat terrifying to him. He knew that his veela blood was attracted to her because she was his Mate, but his human part was falling hopelessly in love with her. It made him queasy to think of her straining to get away from him, wanting to be anywhere but with him. He would never touch her if she didn't want him to. Draco wanted her to be happy when he touched her, _kissed_ her - he didn't want her clawing at his skin and crying in agony.

"You like her more than just her being your Mate, don't you?" Potter's question made Draco's attention turn from the red faced git in his grasp to the green-eyed boy. "It's more than veela love and lust." Potter sounded so convinced that it made Draco wonder if he really was that easy to read. It wasn't as if he carried his very heart on his sleeve or something.

Draco didn't answer Potter's question with a heartfelt declaration of his love for Hermione, he simply nodded.

"Hermione's had very few people in her life who've been caring towards her. She thinks of the other Gryffindors as extended family, but not very close friends. There are people, as you know very well, who like to make fun of her because she is somewhat a know-it-all." Draco had to stop himself from letting his head hang in shame. Couldn't they see he was truly sorry for what he'd done to Hermione in the past?

"If you treat her as you have been, I'm sure she'll feel the same way towards you." Potter didn't seem angered by the fact that his best friend was likely to end up with his enemy. "But know that she hates suck ups, and demands respect. She has her moments of weakness, but she never likes to hear that she needs help." Potter chuckled ruefully. It seemed that he once made the mistake of telling Hermione she needed someone also.

"I can tell you honestly that I'm falling in love with her. It's not just my veela blood or lust, I just know it." Draco released the vile redhead from his grasp and watched amusedly as Weasley attempted to right his collar with dignity. He laughed to himself; Weasley with dignity…. The mere idea was laughable.

"But you do lust after her." It wasn't a statement, but an actual question. It unnerved Draco a very tiny bit to have Potter asking if he wanted to bed his best friend. The corners of his eyes tightened and a slight grimace fell over his features.

"Yes." Draco answered truthfully. If he said no, both Weasel and Potter would know he was lying.

"Hmm… I have no idea how she'll react to that… Ginny might though… They have their girl talks I suppose…" Draco cut Potter's rambling short.

"Oh no you don't. I don't want anyone else knowing about this just yet." The black haired boy just stared at him for a moment as if he were trying to understand some sort of difficult puzzle then nodded. The seriousness and dire anxiety made Potter realize how grave Draco was really being. After all, his life _was _in danger if Hermione didn't find out the right way.

"I understand. Ron does too." Weasel just looked at Potter vindictively.

"Why should I not tell?" Potter smacked Weasley in the back of the head causing Draco to smirk. It seemed that the redhead's stupidity got on everyone's nerves at some point or other.

"Because it's not our secret to tell. Think about Hermione, Ron." Weasel seemed to mull it over before realizing he really didn't have any other options.

"Fine." He spit out and turned and walked away, leaving a nearly tangible trail of anger behind him.

Potter turned back to him with a curious look on his face. "When Hermione came to you crying, what did you do?" Draco's lip twitched and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from responding maliciously. Potter wasn't horrible. And Hermione loved Potter. She wouldn't appreciate it if he was cruel to the Chosen One.

"Why does it matter?" There, that was civil enough.

"Because I know her. I know what makes her angry, I know what makes her sad, and I know what makes her happy. You don't know all that yet, Malfoy. Someday you will, but just not yet." Draco nodded, understanding what Potter was saying but not quite liking it. Draco once again found himself wishing that he had been the one to be her friend since first year. But he hadn't and there was nothing he could do about it now.

Potter simply raised an eyebrow, telling him to elaborate on how he had reacted to Hermione's crying jag. "I held her."

Potter sighed and ran a hand through his already mussed hair. "Ginny's told me that she's secretly a romantic. I think she's right. Hermione probably changed towards you after that, didn't she?"

Draco nodded. "She gave me a chance."

"Good for you." With that, Potter turned and left, leaving a somewhat confused Draco in the library.

oOo

Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table with a gusty sigh. It was the end of the day and all tests were over for the week. The weekend was approaching and everyone was eating slower than usual, letting their insomnia and exhaustion take over their motions. Hermione found that she was no exception to the zombie-like attitude of her fellow classmates. Harry took a seat on her right and Ron plopped down in front of her. Hermione felt herself grow angry at his seemingly uncaring attitude toward what he'd done to her.

"So… what's going on between you and Malfoy?" Hermione turned and looked pointedly at Harry, ignoring Ron altogether.

"What do you mean? Our project is going well, if that's what you're implying." Harry only sighed and Ron huffed loudly as if he was irritated with her answer.

"He means, how's he treating you? You know, is he being a git?" Ron roughly added.

Hermione's right eyebrow rose incredulously. "No, Malfoy's been _great_." The end part was a bit more caustic than she had been aiming for, but oh well. Ron was the one who was being a git, after all. Malfoy had been nothing but helpful and kind.

'_What an odd turnaround.' _Hermione thought while chewing on a piece of pot roast thoughtfully.

"Oh, he's been _great_? Has he upgraded you to his mistress yet?"

Hermione choked on her food and set down her fork before placing her hand in front of her mouth as she coughed. She felt blood rush to her face in an angry blush as she attempted to right herself. "What the bloody hell? Why would you ask that?" Her voice was accusing and deathly quiet. Gods, what was up with his questions as of late? Was Ron going insane? Or possibly he was losing brain cells every time Parvati kissed him. Those two did seem to be together an awful lot…

And Malfoy would hardly desire her that way! It was unbelievably ridiculous to think that Draco Malfoy, the sex god of Slytherin would want her. Utterly unbelievable. She was a Muggleborn. Even if Malfoy had showed that he didn't hate her and wanted a friendship… It was odd to imagine him desiring her in any other way. He had hoards of beautiful and well-endowed woman following after him; he would have no need for her.

The thought of him looking at her with those silvery full of want made a shiver run up her spine involuntarily. From across the room she saw Malfoy's widened eyes meet her own chestnut ones with unrestricted curiosity.

"What do you mean, 'Why would you ask that?' Because you're Malfoy's-." Harry reached across the table to stab Ron in the hand with his fork.

"Because I'm Malfoy's what, Ron? What do you mean? What do you know?" Hermione demanded hotly, looking from Ron to Harry, betrayed that they wouldn't tell her.

"Ron doesn't know anything Hermione. He's just being a little mental. No one slept well with the tests earlier today." Harry explained, trying to make his act as convincing as possible. He really hated having to lie to Hermione, especially about something so life altering.

Ron looked at Harry as if saying 'Thanks for making me seem like a complete idiot.' There was icy sarcasm in that glare the Harry was receiving. Harry just shrugged, not put off at all. Harry didn't want to betray the promise he had made to Malfoy. Even if Harry didn't like the veela, a promise was a promise. Also, Malfoy was even more volatile when angry than before.

Harry rather liked all his limbs in place.

"Do you honestly think I believe that rubbish of a story you made up just now?" Hermione looked at them accusingly.

She was hurt. Why would they keep Malfoy's secrets from her? Sure, she respected that each person had their right to their own secrets, but it had to do with her! She had a right to know whatever they knew.

"No, I don't expect you to believe it Hermione, just trust us for now. It will all make sense soon. Alright? We aren't allowed to say anything, so please don't ask us." Harry was trying to be some form of a mediator in the conversation. He didn't want Hermione angry at him or Ron. Even if she was Malfoy's (Harry shuddered) _Mate_, she was still their best friend. And neither Ron nor he wanted Malfoy coming after them when Hermione started asking questions.

"I'll tell you one thing." Harry whispered to her, peering over his shoulder to see if Malfoy or Dumbledore were present. He knew that he was sort of betraying Malfoy's trust… But not really. He wasn't going to say anything about veelas or mates… And he couldn't stand to see his best friend so helpless. Hermione nodded to him and leaned in silently and eagerly. "Look in the library, and think of how Malfoy has been acting. That's all I'm going to say."

"Fine… For now." Hermione went back to eating with even less vigor than before. In her mind, she knew that something was off with Malfoy. His attitude as of late was rather odd too… And having Harry tell her to look into it only proved that something was weird with her blonde… friend…

It was up to her to figure it out since no one was going to tell her.

oOo

Draco sat down on the couch and stared aimlessly into the fire. His meeting with Potter and Weasley was still fresh in his mind. He knew that he was falling in love with her. The veela in him was infatuated with everything about her, but his human part was falling… HARD. It was difficult for him to think of what life had been like before he had found out that he was a veela and she was his Mate. Those days seemed so far away from where he was now.

_Knock, knock. _

Draco jumped slightly at the sound of someone knocking on the Head's portrait. He could hear Edalton protesting that his paper canvas was old and delicate and that it couldn't take being smashed into. This made Draco shake his head and breathe in deeply. Whoever it was was talking to Edalton and questioning him to see if Draco was in.

Draco let the portrait door swing open and saw the one person he'd never expected to see standing outside his door, waiting for him.

"Weasley." Draco said nodding tightly. Why in the world was she here? Did Potter or Weasley tell her about Hermione being his Mate? Draco felt his eyes grow darker in anger before he let out a sigh. It was no use getting worked up over something before he knew what was going on.

"Malfoy…" She-Weasel seemed to struggle with what to say. "Can I come in? There are a few things we need to talk about." Draco motioned for her to enter, letting the portrait close behind her. When he turned, he saw She-Weasel already seated on _his_ couch in front of the fire. He simply took another breath and sat on the chair farthest from her.

"Why exactly are you here?" Draco inquired, looking over her anxious form. He knew that it had to do with Hermione, but he wasn't sure what it was. Otherwise, there would be no reason for She-Weasel to even be near him and in his and Hermione's dorms.

"It's because of Hermione. She told me about what my _brother_ did to her." Her mouth formed around the word 'brother' as if it was a disgusting curse word. That nearly made Draco smile. "I'm glad that you took care of her." She-Weasel actually looked grateful. "But if this is some scam, or some sort of sick joke to see if you can get the smartest Gryffindor in your bed, then I will personally kill you. Hermione is my best friend, and I know she would be angry at me for saying this, but she's weak when it comes to romantic relationships. She's only ever dated one person, Viktor Krum. And I know that it didn't turn out that well for her." She-Weasel looked at him with fiery eyes and clenched fists. "She secretly wants someone as her own, but she doesn't notice all the guys who like her." She rolled her eyes but there was a soft smile on her face. "Hermione can be a bit dense with that sort of thing."

Draco looked at her wide eyed. "Why are you telling me this?"

She-Weasel grinned slightly and it made Draco squirm a bit. It was the same smirk the twin Weasley's wore right before they pulled a prank. "Because I can tell you like her." Draco looked at her doubtfully. If Potter hadn't told her about him being a veela, then how did she know that he liked Hermione? He had thought he was doing a good job of acting indifferent towards her when they were in the public eye. "You've never done anything so nice for anyone before Hermione, right?" All Draco could do was stare at the She-Weasel numbly. She smiled victoriously and took his silence as a yes. "Hermione really is a good person, and she deserves someone who will treat her well." This was when she frowned. "And you used to be horrible towards her."

Draco's anger shot up from nowhere, surprising even himself. "I know I was a git! Everyone's gone out of their way to tell me I'm too much of an ass to even be her friend! But I would _never_ do anything to hurt her now. _Never_." His eyes were narrowed to slits and his body was shaking slightly. Why did every single person have to remind him of his past? Why? He was getting better, he was _being_ better for her! Couldn't they see it?

She-Weasel stared at him for a long moment, cataloguing his reactions in the back of her mind. "Yes, you were a git. I'm willing to look past that, though. But only if you treat my friend right. She deserves the world." With that, she stood and readied to exit the Head's quarters.

"Oh, and one more thing Malfoy," He turned and saw her smiling tightly. "Her favorite flowers are lilacs and honeysuckle."

Draco merely shook his head and plopped back down onto his chair.

Today was an odd day.

oOo

Hermione sat herself down at her favorite chair in the corner of the library. The musty scent of old books, dust and creosote swirled in the air around her, having an odd calming effect on her mind. The portraits that usually serenaded all the students were quiet due to it being afterhours. She found it to be simply _too_ quiet for her liking. It was as if the silence was pushing in on her and reminding her of the reason she was here:

To find out what was up with Malfoy.

It was so obvious that Ron and Harry knew what was different so about Malfoy. And she couldn't forget Hogwart's all-knowing headmaster, Dumbledore, probably knew too.

Hermione didn't like having to sneak around to find things out, but in this situation it was completely necessary. And being that she was Head Girl, the likelihood of her getting in trouble was very low. But still, Hermione would've much rather just questioned Malfoy about what was wrong with him.

She let out a quiet sigh and moved to the curses and demon possession area in the library. It seemed to her that either Malfoy was suffering from being under someone's hold or his reactions were due to some sort of potion. But being Hermione, she wanted to research every possibility. She had even concocted a list of books to look at as well as possibilities for what his condition was. Sure, maybe she had gone a little to the extreme by putting them in alphabetical order, but oh well. There were to be no loose ends when she was done searching.

oOo

Hermione put away a thick tome about possession and the ways to tell if someone was possessed. The book had been no help, because from what Hermione had found out, Malfoy was not possessed. Or at least he wasn't being controlled by someone else.

She turned to her list on the table and put a straight line through the book name as well as the word possession.

'_Well, at least that's one less book and idea to apply to Malfoy.'_ Hermione thought. She was trying to keep a positive outlook on her search. She desperately hoped that she would return to her quarters with a vast knowledge of whatever Malfoy was. Part of her was opposed to the idea of saying Malfoy was a 'whatever'. It was like saying he was a monster or a thing. It was totally debasing and demeaning to act as if he wasn't human. _'Maybe he isn't…' _Something in her thought. She immediately shook that thought out of her head. Malfoy _was_ human….

Or at least partly.

Hermione frowned as her rampant thoughts gave her an idea.

There were groups of loosely described people: vampires, werewolves, imps (some called then near humans), and veelas. She hadn't even thought to approach the idea of genetic. As Hermione grabbed her quill and wrote down her four new ideas, she felt a new kind of hope. It was like something inside of her was telling her she was closer to the answer than ever before.

Hermione turned swiftly on her heel and made her way towards the creatures section in the massive library. She let her fingers run gently over the spines on the books within her reach until she got to the most promising looking one. The book had a thin weave of what seemed to be unicorn hair looped around a brass button to hold it closed. Its cover was a rustic burgundy color that reeked of ancient information. As she carefully undid the latch, Hermione felt her excitement and anxiety grow. She was nervous to find out what Malfoy was… Her insides were tingling with anticipation as she turned the first page.

It read:

'_Werewolves, Vampires & Veelas'_

Hermione found it odd that there was no author's name, publication date, or even any basic information. But Hogwarts was full of surprises, so why wouldn't its books be?

The table of contents was very simply laid out. Each of the creatures name had dots next to it that lead to an intricate page number in shiny black ink. Somehow, the straightforwardness of it all mounted her eagerness even more so that she was turning pages right to the first part of the book: werewolves.

The words spoke of the moon cycles having a great effect on the werewolf. Hermione had been doubtful from the start that Malfoy was a werewolf anyway. She would've noticed if he went ill sometimes and disappeared during a full moon. And Snape would be around to give Malfoy a wolfsbane potion too. Hermione was also sure that if she was living so close to a werewolf, Dumbledore would have told her. Werewolves were known to be hot-tempered and unstable and when they transformed, they were sometimes unable to reach. There was no way that Dumbledore would endanger a student's life, and if Malfoy was a werewolf, Hermione would've been in danger on many occasions. Plus, Malfoy was afraid of werewolves. So it wouldn't make sense for him to be one…

The second part was about vampires.

Hermione immediately wrote this option off after she read only a paragraph. Vampires didn't eat food as humans did, and even half vampires didn't find human food edible. Hermione had seen Malfoy eat, he had even eaten chocolate with her without cringing. She thought that she would notice if he laid about drinking blood from people like some fat connoisseur. And, most importantly, Malfoy's eyes remained either a shade of silver or black, never shifting to a red color or burgundy variation. There was simply no way that he could be a vampire. Unless he was so good at hiding it that even she, student proclaimed know-it-all, hadn't noticed.

So no, Malfoy was not a vampire.

Hermione turned to the section of the book with impatient fingers. Her body was screaming, _"Warmer! Warmer!"_ She scanned with steady eyes. And that was when Hermione came upon a paragraph that made her hands shake:

'_Once a veela hits the age of approximately sixteen or seventeen, the maturing stage rapidly begins. It can be compared to a human person going through puberty, only at a much quicker rate. Things become noticeable about the veela, such as eyes changing to dark colors, moods being somewhat unstable, and every sense being boosted to nearly unparalleled heights. Also, at this age, a mate becomes both desired and vital.' _

She felt a breath escape that she hadn't known she was holding. It was like every single piece was falling into place now. She knew this was it, that Malfoy was a veela… Or part veela, whatever. She knew veelas were identified by their beautiful looks and somewhat delicate features.If there was one thing Hermione couldn't deny, it was that Malfoy was certainly attractive. He had the classical veela look about him, with the light colored hair and eyes. His build wasn't stocky like Neville or overweight like Crabbe, Malfoy had a taller and more slender physique. He wasn't scrawny though…

'_That may be from all the Quidditch he does.'_ Hermione though matter-of-factly.

Now that she thought about it, Hermione had no idea how she hadn't seen it sooner. Malfoy had the platinum eye color that always seemed to fade into a darker color. And she was sure that it was not a trick of the light or her own eyes. There had been many times where the light shade of his irises would go black, so much so that it seemed like he had no pupils. It mainly happened when he was angry, which played right into the fact that he had worse mood swings than she did. One moment he would be angry, (like at Ron) and the next he would be smiling, joking and eating chocolate with her freely. As for Malfoy's senses… she couldn't know for sure if they were any better than before. Hermione couldn't exactly smell things _for_ him. But she supposed that it must be true since every other point was being proven.

The one thing that was bothering Hermione was that last statement about mates… The book had said that a mate for a veela was necessary. And Hermione knew that if a veela went without one, they died of, tragically enough, heartbreak. Malfoy hadn't exactly been moping around about a mate, so she figured he must've figured it out already. After all, even if Malfoy had changed, she knew he was still a somewhat selfish being who didn't want to die.

'_His little mate must be stashed somewhere safe.' _Hermione thought bitterly. Now there really could be more than a friendship between the two of them. She let a loud, exasperated and angry breath out and picked up her bag to leave.

oOo

Somewhere, someone shuffled a pile of papers anxiously.

There was no way for that specific person to know what was coming. No way at all. This shadow was as stealthy as... something stealthy. Their plan would succeed, and _that_ person would be destroyed. They would make sure of it.

A/N: I am SO sorry about the size of this chapter! 12 pages is nothing, I know! But this is kind of setting the rest of the story up for something big. So, you see, I couldn't drag it out too much. I'm also sorry about the sketchiness of the end of this chapter. I know it's not even _good_ sketchiness. It's like horrible. But there's a reason for that. You'll see next epic chappie!

I hope you can take time to drop a comment to me about what you think so far. **Or, maybe you could guess who this "shadow" is. If you think hard, you should get it!**


	11. Slip

Chapter dedicated to: _. This chappie is also dedicated to nightangel1220! She has been waiting patiently for what is coming in this chapter.

oOoOo

**Chapter 10**

'**Slip'**

Draco stood from his chair and nimbly unbuttoned his robes, setting down the fitted clothing on his bed. He had been working on a report for Arithmancy. For the last two hours, he had been fighting off an odd feeling in himself. It was a sinking anxiety and it scared him. Draco remembered that he could feel when Hermione was in trouble, but could he feel her anxiety as well? He shook his head and tried to rid the unwelcome feelings. Tonight he and Hermione were doing rounds together, and he wasn't about to ruin their time alone with ominous premonitions and unneeded, off emotions.

Draco sighed.

It was pretty sad that he thought of rounds as their time to be together. She was his Mate for Merlin's sake! They should be so much closer…

He walked to the portrait hole and saw Hermione standing and humming as she waited for him. She smiled slightly then turned away quickly, escaping through the doorway and into the darkened hallway. Draco followed the trail of her scent and saw that she was heading towards the main corridors. As he rounded the corner, he found her waiting and grinning brightly before she slid past him and back into the night. He shook his head and chuckled; she was _teasing _him. Too bad that she didn't know that no matter how hard she tried to hide from him, he would always find her. He had an impeccable sense of smell thanks to his veela genes. And he was nearly sure that even without them, he would be able to catch her. Maybe it was just his self assured ego.

Little did he know that it was all a part of Hermione's plans to see if he could follow her. After all, it would prove if he had a better sense of smell than a normal person.

Draco stalked after her, staying in the shadows in hopes of catching her off guard.

And it was too bad for _him_ that he didn't know how blaringly obvious his bright blonde hair was against the dank grey walls.

Draco veered to his right just in time to see Hermione making her way down a narrow and nearly hidden corridor. Something primal was awakening in Draco, making itself known, by playing such an… animal-like game. It was like prey being hunted down by a very eager predator. His eyes became keener as they searched for her slim body amongst the shadows. Every hair on the back of his neck stood up in anticipation and there was a warm tingling feeling spreading through him as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be searching Hermione out. Draco's nose separated the scents in the hallway and dismissed the unimportant ones of rain, mold and dust. The only important thing in his mind was _her_.

Draco cocked his head to the side and breathed in deeply, sensing where Hermione was by her scent. He pursued after her, making his way up the winding steps at the end of the passageway. Tiny candles flickering on the walls and occasional windowsill were the only light sources, making the chase all the more dramatic. An aromatic trail of lilacs told Draco where to go. Just as he stopped at the top step to peer around, he saw Hermione move from the shadows to ambush him smilingly. The sight of her bouncing on her feet in the moonlight was a memory he would always cherish. She just looked so _beautiful_. Her features were illuminated by the soft, yellow shine of the planet. Her unruly curls were made to seem darker by the lack of light, and the whites of her eyes shone brightly like those of a cat's in a photograph.

Hermione reached a hand out and poked him in the shoulder, sending inexplicable shivers down his spine. "Gotcha." Her breathless whisper made a wide smile break out on his own face. She stepped back and that was when Draco noticed that they were now at the top of the Astronomy Tower. Leave it to the Head Girl to know all the secret ways to get to different places. Her eyes slid over the platform of the tower and rested on a certain desk for a long moment. Draco could hear her teeth grit against each other as she sniffed in disdain, turning back to look over the Black Lake.

"You okay?" Draco inquired softly, placing his hand comfortingly on her upper arm. Hermione nodded slightly but didn't remove her gaze from the dark hills and pitch colored water. "You sure?" He wasn't convinced by her nod at all. While he couldn't smell tears yet, he had a feeling that she was sad and angry. She shook her head 'no'. Draco leaned down and moved his fingers to tilt her head up so he could see her cheerless eyes. It physically _hurt _to see her unhappy. It wasn't an intense stabbing pain, but a dull reminder that he wasn't fulfilling his duty as a veela to his Mate.

With the gentlest voice he thought he could muster while still being manly, Draco spoke. "What's the matter?"

"I'm stupid." She muttered brokenly.

oOo

Hermione felt so foolish. She was developing a crush on Draco Malfoy, a crush that was slowly but surely turning into love. Draco Malfoy was a veela. Draco Malfoy was a veela who probably has a very beautiful mate waiting to bed him. All she wanted was for someone, _anyone_ to see her for who she was. She was strong, independent, and smart. Was there no person (guy) out there who wanted that? Did they all want some buxom girl with no brains but a nice, willing body? Was she that easy to overlook? Hermione had always thought that a good mind was a better selling point than looks any day. But apparently she was the only one to think that.

Draco had forced her defend herself and stand up for herself when she was too weak to, and for that she was grateful to him. He had made her feel like she was _worth_ more than what people were giving her. He had cared about her, and really had turned out to become a great person. It was sad that she was just now seeing that. She found herself envying the girl who got him. Jealousy made her feel ugly, but she relished in it and let it make her angry. At least then she wasn't feeling her impending romantic emotions towards a certain veela.

A lone tear escaped her eyes and Hermione bit her lip to keep from sobbing loudly. Her chin trembled as her hair blew in the light, gentle breeze that so contrasted against her turbulent emotions.

When she was about to turn away, his hand snatched at her wrist and pulled her right against him. Hermione's breath caught in her throat at the sound of Draco's voice cooing in her ear. "Granger, don't walk away. Let me help you." Her sobs only came harder and faster than before.

He was so _good_. Draco was so damn good, and he belonged to someone else. He was just comforting her because he felt bad for her most likely.

One of his arms draped over her shoulders, and the other was at her waist, keeping her firmly to him as she cried her eyes out in his chest once more. Hermione's arms wound around his neck, seeking a bone crushing embrace from him. It was what she wanted, his comfort. Even if his pity came with it, Hermione would take what she could get. And he didn't fail her. His arms tightened around her and conformed every inch of her body to his so that she was the closest she had ever been to him. Draco was warm and comfortable, and something about him felt distinctly like home. It was like she would never find another place where she truly belonged. The only problem was that every muscle she felt against her belonged to some other girl to touch and the arms that held her now were really meant for someone else.

Hermione felt her heart beginning to crack as she let out her painful cries.

oOo

Draco had no idea why she was reacting in such … _aggressive _pain. Only moments ago she had been letting him chase her around the castle as if they were children, and now she seemed like her heart was breaking. Every cry she let out made him cringe, not because she was sobbing loudly in his ear, but because she was miserable. He could feel it. It was a desperation that clawed at his heart and left him as breathless and teary eyed as her. He couldn't explain the emotions that were going through him. He couldn't explain the emotions, there were so many intermixed, like despair, anguish, painful misery, hopelessness and self-anger

Hermione tore from his grip and staggered back. "I'm sorry… I-I….I just really… It _hurts_." She was wiping at her eyes aimlessly and keeping her gaze locked on anything but him. It was as if she was afraid he would know what 'hurt'. It was like she was afraid of his reaction. Her hands clutched at her heart as if it was going to fall out and fly away like a snitch during an intense game of Quidditch. Pieces of hair that had come from their loose confinement flew furiously around her face and neck, making her image seem even more pitiful. The tears left patches of red on her cheeks and trailed down her neck where they disappeared and evaporated into the air of the surprisingly balmy night.

Draco reached for her hesitantly, but she moved farther away until her lower back hit the railing of the tower. "Don't… Please, just don't." He frowned at the sound of her voice so hollow yet so full of desolation. What was wrong? Why didn't she want him to hold her? He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply to try to contain some of his confusion. Draco pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the comings of a migraine sneaking up on him.

And that was when it happened.

There was a loud gasp and Draco's eyes snapped open to see that Hermione was gone from his view. He ran forward, his hips ramming painfully against the railing, to see Hermione falling rapidly toward the dark, grassy ground below. Her eyes were wide open with shock and rimmed with red from her recent crying jag. Her hands were reaching up towards him and he could see her attempting to right herself for the best possible landing.

Draco couldn't remember being so scared in his entire life.

Not when he had gotten his Dark Mark, not when he met face to face with the Dark Lord, and not even when his father had threatened to kill him and his innocent, loving mother. No, none of that compared to seeing Hermione slide through the air with her hair whipping around her face violently and her mouth open in astonishment and fear.

Without thinking, Draco dug for his wand and shouted out _Mobilicorpus_ in hopes to stop her before she hit the ground. He could hear faint footsteps far below him heading out towards where Hermione was going to land.

There was a faint heartbeat near him on the other set of stairs that caused him to turn around so quickly that he momentarily caused himself to stumble over his own feet.

The attacker.

Short, dark looking hair and a pug nose were the attributes he saw from such a distance. Recognition entered his mind but was put in its place by blind and sudden resentment. "Parkinson! Did you do this?" Rage shook him to the very core of his being.

Pansy didn't say or do anything to tell him it indeed had been her that usef a spell to shove Hermione off the tower. But he knew it was so nonetheless. He didn't know why he hadn't considered that she might do such a thing. It was _Parkinson_. She was so used to getting whatever she wanted, and she had made it clear many times that she wanted him. Of course his stupid housemate would endanger the one thing he needed to live out of ignorant jealousy.

Draco leapt towards her and started dragging her down the steps to where Hermione was. He couldn't deal with her before seeing that his Mate was alright.

Pain was gripping angrily at his heart, tearing like a hungry rabid animal. Draco found it hard for him to breath because of the sheer force of his worry and anxiety.

Pansy stumbled down the hallway after him, not even once whining about the bruises he was giving her wrist. Draco flew around the corner to see a crowd had come to surround Hermione. Potter was at the head of the group, standing over his friend with an extremely nervous look on his face. Every single prefect had come to see who had fallen from the top of the Astronomy tower like a ragdoll. Murmurs were traveling through the throng like wildfire. Almost every person's face held concern as they peered over the shoulder of the person in front of them.

"Potter." Draco growled out as he saw the green eyed boy start touching Hermione's face and neck and arms. He couldn't help it really; it was like something in him snapped when Draco when he saw his Mate being surrounded by males, even if they were her best friends.

She was _his_.

The boy nodded slightly and back away, taking his place next to a Gryffindor with a frown on her face.

Draco shoved Pansy towards She-Weasel and crouched over Hermione's bloodied body. "Granger?" His hand was on her forehead, gently stroking her curly locks away from her pain-stricken face. She stirred lightly and opened her dark toffee eyes to look at him. "Are you alright?" He inquired quietly while she clutched at his arm and made a pathetic attempt to get up. Hermione nodded once curtly then winced and new tears formed in her eyes. That was when Draco saw a large, angry looking green-purple bruise on her lower neck that disappeared under her dark toned robes. The mere sight of it made his blood boil in every one of his capillaries and vessels.

"Parkinson." Draco said in a quiet, lethal whisper. "Why the _bloody hell _did you feel the need to push her off the Astronomy Tower?" He stalked closer to his fellow Slytherin and saw her cringe into She-Weasel who grimaced disgustedly and heaved the cowardly girl closer to Draco. The redhead wiped her hands on her robes as if she had touched something vile and nasty.

"She's a stupid, hideous Gryffindor!" Draco felt his eyes grow dark as anger thrummed in his veins, causing a very powerful shade of red to veil his vision. "She deserved to be pushed off that tower! My only regret is that she didn't _die_." She spat the last word with evil contempt glinting in her dark eyes.

His body involuntarily lunged forward, ready to rip her throat open, to kill her with his bare hands and teeth. The only problem was that Hermione was holding tightly onto his arm, keeping him from attacking Pansy. Her fingernails were digging into his skin but he barely felt it at all. All that he noticed was his need to rid the world of Pansy Parkinson.

"Malfoy, stop!" Hermione didn't know what to do. He just wasn't listening to her. It was as if Malfoy was in his own little world that was dead set of murdering Parkinson in front of a conspicuous crowd of onlookers. "I forgive her."

"You forgive _me_? I didn't steal _your_ boyfriend, you Mudblood filth!" Parkinson's voice screeched out loudly as she clawed her way farther from the two Heads. Her eyes were flashing angrily and her posture made it seem as if she was ready to dart far away from the mob like a terrified rabbit. She wasn't even aware of the fact that every face in the mob was looking at her with disdain. She had made herself a lot of enemies by picking a fight with the Head girl that so many looked up to.

Draco would've rolled his eyes, but this was hardly the time or place to do so. Was Pansy so caught up in her mind that she honestly thought that he cared about her? Sure, their families were close because of business and ranks, but she was nothing more than a nuisance to him. They had been friends when they were little, but it was only out of convenience for him. The huge Malfoy mansion _had_ gotten a bit lonely to a seven year old with no one to play with.

He lashed out, tugging against Hermione's surprisingly strong hold. For some reason, even though he was much more muscular than her, he just couldn't find it in himself to worm out of her grasp. It was like he wanted to get away, but he didn't. He wanted to get away so he could make Pansy pay for the pain she caused Hermione, but he wanted to stay because he knew that Hermione wouldn't appreciate such violence.

The problem was that the side that wanted to kill Pansy was becoming more powerful by the moment.

"Draco, please stop this. I'm alright." Hermione wasn't sure if it was a lie. She had an aching pain on her shoulder that crept down her entire arm to her wrist which she was sure was broken. Her legs felt fine, except for the fact that they had bruises galore covering nearly every inch of the underside of her thighs. Her back hurt horribly and every time her heart beat, there was a pain near all of her ribs. It was as if a hammer was rhythmically hitting her all over her body in time with her adrenaline quickened pulses. Her breathes came in quick gasps as she made sure not to inhale too deeply as to disrupt her chest injuries more.

At the sound of his first name bubbling to her lips, Draco snapped comically out of his bloodlust induced stupor. He felt his neck crack as he snapped his head to turn and look at her. Hermione was staring at him, wide eyed in fear, not from her pains, but of _him_. He _did_ look like he was ready to kill someone with only his fingers. That was a violent sight he never wanted her to see, especially not if he was the one to resort to brutal means of action to protect her.

Draco reached out a hesitant hand and laid it on her cheek. "You could've killed her." He whispered to no one in general. His entire focus was on the girl in front of him who was looking so emotionally and physically broken. Before she had fallen, she had been crying in utter hopelessness, and now her skin was smothered in painful looking bruises. It was as if she couldn't get a break from one disastrous moment to the next.

The pads of his fingers trailed down her cheek and to her neck where his touch became as light as a goose down feather as to not disturb the mark there. "If you would've succeeded in killing her Parkinson," Pansy twitched at hearing Draco mutter her last name with such disgust, "I would've died." His words held a sad note of finality.

Every person who had their eyes set on the Heads, frowned in confusion. Here were the two people they had never thought would be able to stand within five feet of each other without a fight escalating, but one of them was acting all lovey-dovey towards the other. What the heck was going on? It was as if there were some secrets happening in the Head's dorms that no one else knew about. It sure would make for some juicy gossip…

Hermione was no exception to the inclusive bewilderment. She too had no idea what Draco meant by saying he would've died if she had. It didn't make any sense.

Would he feel guilty?

"She's my Mate, Parkinson. You hurt her, and I'm hurt as well." Loud gasps and chattering erupted amongst the horde, and rumors started scattering before a heartbeat could pass. A few prefects questioned their neighbor about 'mates' and what the Head Boy was blabbering about. Had he finally cracked? His father _had_ been a schizophrenic… maybe it ran in the family or something.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione questioned him quietly, her gritty eyes never leaving his as he gently cradled her mangled wrist in his hands. His thumbs were soothing the throbbing ache that was pulsating through her entire arm painfully.

"I'm part veela, and you're my Mate." Draco lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her wrist chastely.

Hermione tore her arm away from his grasp and held it protectively against her rapidly heaving chest.

So this was the grand scheme of his.

He had made her fall for him so he could, in turn, make her look like a fool in front of so many people. He had probably gotten Pansy to help him choreograph the entire 'shove the Mudblood of the tower' scene. Draco was making up all this mate business so he could have a good laugh about it later while he was curled up around a fire with his _real_ mate. She knew it was a joke. There was no way that she, Hermione Granger, could be Draco's mate.

It was impossible.

He had detested her for years, and he probably still did. He was a damn good actor to make her believe that she actually meant something to him.

She had put her _trust_ in him. She had fallen in _love_ with him. And it was all a twisted tall tale for his benefit and ego boost.

All of this was too good to be true. If she was really Draco's mate, he would never want another. He would want to be by her side all of the time. He would want to kiss her, hold her, marry her and love her. That was all too much of a fairytale to be true. That was what she wanted from him, and now he was mocking her for it. She desperately wanted his affections, and he was taking advantage of her weakness for his own amusement. She wasn't being pessimistic, no, Hermione was being _practical_. She was a common Muggle-born who had an exceptional mind with a slightly lacking body. She didn't want to get her hopes up over some little fib told by the Slytherin Prince.

"You're lying." Hermione murmured while a new round of tears formed in her eyes. _'There's no way I could be that lucky.'_ She thought to herself. That sort of thing would happen in a dream, but this was real life where realism ruled. It was painful to think of the possibility of Draco's words being true.

"Hermione, I promise I'm not lying." He stared at her deeply, letting his eyes plead with hers shamelessly. To heck with his pride, she _had _to believe him. He was so close to her knowing, so close to how a real veela and mate should be that he couldn't slow his racing heart. All he could do was hope and pray to whatever god would listen that she would listen to him and want him.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Her voice was so quiet that only he could hear the slight crack in it. She was hurting because of him. Hermione honestly thought it was all some scam. It pained him that she still thought he would do that to her, but he knew her disbelief was justified.

"I swear on my life, the Malfoy fortune and Voldemort's grave that I am not lying to you." Draco reached for her hand but she hid it behind her back, while the other was flaccid against her body. He met her gaze and saw the heat of her tears that were just starting to re-gather for another jag.

"I… I _want_ to believe you." Hermione murmured while staring pointedly at the soft, dewy grass beneath her aggrieved feet. She felt herself sway and her hand shot out and steadied herself on the stony wall that was just behind her. A small whimper escaped her throat as she realized that it had been her bad hand which had balanced her.

"Herms…" A pair of green eyes met her amber ones and she read the worry in them like she did a textbook. Harry started to move closer to her but a low growl, which reverberated against the limestone of the castle, caused him to stop mid-step. Draco was giving Harry a glare that made everyone near them shrink away from him. The blackness of his eyes came as a shock to many who gasped in fear of the Head Boy. His posture was that of a tightly wound yoyo or an animal about to pounce and carry out a killing blow; possessive and deadly.

Hermione found that she couldn't move a single inch. Even though her wrist was literally screaming in protest, she simply couldn't tear her eyes away from the silhouette of Draco walking toward her with a certain carefulness that a rescuer would reserve for a mortally wounded animal. His hand gently wrenched her from leaning on the wall and pulled her close to him so that there was barely an inch of space between them. He nuzzled her arm and kissed the bend of her elbow with a softness she didn't know he could even possess. His husky whisper only reached her intent ears, "Mine."

She backed herself against the wall and hissed when the rugged stones pinched at her bruises and robes. "No." Her eyes were wide with shock that Draco would go so far to humiliate her. He was an actor beyond any she had ever seen. He would put those in the famous Muggle Broadway shows to shame.

"He is part veela, Miss Granger. And from the way he is acting, you seem to be his mate." Dumbledore's voice managed to ring clearly even as they were all outside in the open air. He was carefully pushing though the crowd with regal ease that only he could accomplish while being humble.

"That can't be right-" Hermione knew she was being disrespectful, but when would everyone give up the game? Wasn't it enough that she was already in physical pain? Did they want her emotional status to be that of a dead body – unfeeling?

"Miss Granger." The stern edge to Dumbledore's words made her stop in her tracks. "Draco Malfoy _is_ a veela. You _are_ his mate. Look at him, does it really look like he's tricking you?"

And look she did.

Hermione stared at the man in front of her for a long time, taking in his mussed platinum hair, dark eyes, and almost wild, worried look. He was worried about her. He was honestly and truly worried. If it was all some swindle, he wouldn't be worried, only relishing in the fact that he had pulled a fast one on 'Mudblood Granger'.

"I...I don't know what to say." A few tears slipped from her tightly shut eyelids as she attempted to move from her place against the unbreakable rocks. Draco shifted closer to her and tentatively extended his arms toward her to help her. It seemed like no matter how many times she pushed him away, he came back to her like some masochistic martyr set on aiding her. But this time she accepted his support and collapsed into his embrace with vengeful, choking sobs ripping from deep within her aching chest.

Draco's grip on her was loose because of her bruises and wrist which he didn't want to jar. But the feeling of her was all the same; warm, soft and comforting. "So you're mine?" Her voice was small and hoarse from crying, but he heard her nonetheless.

"Yes Hermione, I'm all yours." It would normally be degrading to belong to someone, but he wanted to be hers just as he wanted her to be his.

Draco laid a small kiss on her temple and stroked her hair with his hand, tangling his fingers into her soft curls. He felt her move and wondered vaguely if he was being too touchy for her taste. But when she moved her uninjured hand to his face, Draco lost all his inhibitions. "Kiss me." She requested in a tiny whisper, her warm eyes inviting him to do as she asked.

He was pretty sure he stopped breathing.

Hermione was asking him to kiss her. That was something he had dreamed of for a long time, and now his little fantasy was becoming reality. It was exhilarating to have her finally know he was a veela. It was a massive weight off of his shoulders and conscience. And to make it all better, she wasn't rejecting him. She wanted him to hold her and kiss her like he was meant to.

Draco moved his hand that was in her hair to cup her neck and he leaned down slowly, gauging her reaction. Hermione nodded to him slightly and tilted her head up impatiently and let her lips meet his. His hands automatically seem to tighten in her locks, dragging her body closer to his while being gentle enough that she wouldn't be hurt. Her lips were soft, as he had expected, and her fingers on the nape of his neck were sending shivers through his body.

It was like no other kiss he'd ever had.

This kiss with her just felt _right_. She was his Mate, and everything about her was perfect to him. The kiss was perfect, the feel of her thick hair was perfect, and the heat coming off her body was perfect. Nothing could ever be more amazing than her touch.

Draco tentatively licked her lower lip before pulling away deftly. He didn't want to take their first kiss too far. And he knew Hermione would later be embarrassed by the fact that so many people were watching them. She worried about that sort of thing while he didn't care who was there, just as long as they all knew that she was _his. _

Dumbledore cleared his throat and the two teens looked at him, one flustered and bruised, the other trying to hold back a triumphant, love struck grin. "You should probably take Miss Granger to see Madame Pomfrey." His tone of voice left no room for discussion, though Draco had been thinking the same thing. There was absolutely no way he would've let her go off to their common room without having every little scrape healed and every bruise diminished by magic. The thought of Hermione having to sleep an entire night in pain made the veela in him howl with disdain.

Hermione leaned heavily on Draco and started to walk but he stopped abruptly and pulled her form back to him. "Wha-?" She was cut off when he picked her up and cradled her body against his chest, letting her experience for the first time how strong he really was. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling completely safe in his arms. A kiss was pressed to her temple and Hermione felt a blush start to rise on her cheeks. She would have to get used to his comfortable and casual touches.

"Are you sure I'm not too heavy?" Hermione questioned as they made their way up the first of many flights of stairs.

"You wound me, love." Draco whispered while smirking half-heartedly. Hermione smiled back as best as she could while being in pain. "What hurts?" His soothing voice calmly inquired. He could see that she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from starting another round of tears. There was only so much crying one person could do, after all.

Hermione let out a shaky sigh. "My ribs are probably bruised. My legs, head and back ache. My wrist is broken." She looked at her hand that lay limply against his chest, doing a perfect impersonation of a dead fish. She wasn't too worried about it with the fact that it could be healed by magic, but it still hurt badly. And even thought Draco was holding her loosely and walking at a slow pace, every movement was causing her discomfort.

He leaned his head down and kissed her neck gently, his eyes locking with hers as their pace slowed to a vigilant gait. Draco set her down on her feet and reached gently for her hand, cradling it in his palm as if it was a piece of his mother's prized china or a newborn baby in the hands of a well trained medi-witch. He then pulled his wand out of his back pocket and muttered _Episkey_ under his breath. At that moment, Hermione felt her entire arm turn very hot then it rapidly cooled to become nearly numb. The pain seeped from her wrist and left to make itself known in other parts of her body.

"Is that any better?" Draco questioned softly while turning over her wrist in his hands to look for any swelling or protrusions.

"It feels much better." Hermione stood on her toes, the only part of her body that seemed unscathed, and planted a kiss on his parted lips. Draco looked at her, surprised, but didn't seem to mind her random display of affection. "Thank you." His eyes caught hers and she saw how dark they were. "Why does that keep happening?" Hermione asked while reaching a hand to touch his face near his eyes.

"Because…" Draco wasn't sure how to put it without seeming crass. "I… It's because of anger or lust." It was amazing to her that a simple kiss made him react to her so…_ intensely._

Hermione gave him a tiny, shy smile. "Lust?"

Her small, innocent question caught him off guard. Did she not realize how many guys wanted her in their arms? As She-Weasel had said, Hermione was a bit dense when it came to relationships. But there had to be a large sum of males who were all pining for his spot, wanting to be close to her and to kiss her as he had. Of course he wouldn't let them within a reasonable distance of her, but they existed. She appealed to almost every type of guy; she was smart, beautiful, clever, creative, somewhat stubborn and most of all, a vixen without the slightest clue of the spell she had cast. Draco knew personally that many of his Slytherin acquaintances had seen her as attractive since third year. Blaise Zabini had always had a thing for her curly hair, and many a Ravenclaw found her mind spectacular. She was the object of lots of first years fantasy's – she was the sexy female third of the Golden Trio that they had heard about in the newspaper.

"Yes, lust." He let his hand settle on her hip and make soothing circles on the small patch of unscathed skin. Draco leaned in until his lips were at her ear. "You're beautiful. Haven't I already told you to never doubt that?" He took pride in the small shudder she awarded him with. He could literally _feel_ the gooseflesh that had risen on her skin and could sense her odd mixture of awkwardness and sheer delight. It seemed that having someone so intimately close was very new to her.

That made him happier then he could believe.

Hermione nodded before pulling away with a slight look of both embarrassment and longing.

Draco's eyes softened around the edges and he kissed her innocently. "Come on, foolish girl. I need to get you to Madame Pomfrey's." His hands once again cradled the crook of her knees and her head rested on his shoulder in a sign of comfortable trust.

The dank halls were devoid of the usual discord and clamor that normally graced them. The only sound that registered in Draco's mind was the muted rhythmic intakes of breath coming from his Mate. The warm air coming from her mouth sunk through his rather thin sweater, making him shiver wistfully while unconsciously rubbing the skin of her legs with his Quidditch roughened fingers. The tired eyes of many of the portraits followed their every step with silent curiosity. Not a one of them seemed to understand the situation they were witnessing – a veela and mate together peacefully, and a Slytherin and Gryffindor pair at that.

Hermione felt her eyes settle on Draco's face and she simply couldn't rip them away. Something about him seemed more relaxed than it had before.

From the limited knowledge Hermione had of veelas and mates, she knew that a mate was the very reason a veela lived. Just their presence could set a veela at ease, and having their mate in danger or pain made them feel self-anger because they thought it was their duty to protect their mate. Veelas were highly protective beings who hated having their mate unhappy or even merely distressed. It both scared and excited Hermione to know that she was someone's mate. But it wasn't just anyone who was her veela.

It was _Draco-_bloody_- Malfoy. _

It was reassuring to know that she would always be cared for, watched over and loved. There would constantly be someone who would want her to be content, someone who wouldn't mind if she had a bad day and needed to vent. Draco would become a friend and a confident that she knew she could put her implicit trust into. The main part that worried her was how Ron and Harry would react. Ron had a vile temper that exploded with almost the lightest nudge. Harry could be understanding, but he had his limits as well. Ginny… Ginny would be happy for her no matter who it was that made her happy. People would talk for sure. They were two people who had been enemies since day one, and now they would be all cozy together.

The thought of using the word 'cozy' with Draco in context made Hermione blush. Veelas and mates had to… well… _mate._ There was the biting that would join the two of them, and then there was the actual consummation.

A hot blush crept over her cheeks and seeped down her neck. All the stories she had heard from giggling girls about how 'hot Draco Malfoy is' and how 'impossibly insatiable he is' came flooding into her mind. Pansy Parkinson and several Slytherin girls had made it their mission to make other girls jealous by saying they had been lucky enough to spend a night with Draco. Almost everyone in Hogwarts had heard the rumors and knew that he was the Slytherin Sex God. Hermione felt a distinct lightheadedness creep over her as she hid her face in Draco's neck with a shaky breath.

Corridor after corridor welcomed them with pure stillness that only a late night could carry. They came upon a large wooden door that led into the Hospital Wing and Draco shoved carefully through, alerting Madame Pomfrey of their entrance.

The old healer followed after them. Having heard what had happened from Albus, she already had all of her supplies set up to help nurse the Head Girl back to health. "Put her there, deary." She said pointing to the cot closest to them.

Draco softly set Hermione down and grit his teeth as she gasped in pain at the contact of her bruises against the soft sheets. "I'm sorry." He murmured while she stiffly unwound herself from his grasp. Hermione shook her head numbly as he cautiously guided her head towards the soft pillow beneath her. A tiny hiss escaped her lips as she felt her ribs settle harshly against the thin medical mattress below her body. It suddenly felt as if her robes were too heavy on her skin; settling densely on her disgustingly colored and bumpy skin. Gasps of air hit her airways with a vengeance, drying them so it was like she had wandered through the desert for days without water.

A spidery, firm hand poured a thick and goopy liquid down her throat causing Hermione to cough a bit before settling back. Another slightly cooler hand was holding tenderly onto her own shaking hot one.

"Now that you're over your panic attack, I need to see those bruises." Madame Pomfrey looked pointedly at Draco before turning back to Hermione who still had a glassy look in her eyes. She snapped back to reality when she felt Draco's hand tighten slightly on hers. "I can't leave her." Hermione looked at her veela and saw how his jaw was set harshly as he eyed the bruise on her neck.

"Well, it's against policy for a boy to be in here while I'm treating a girl." Madame Pomfrey's matter-of-fact tone made his grey eyes harden to resemble unfailing steel.

"Well make an exception!"

"It's alright, really, Madame Pomfrey." Hermione interjected before either of the room's other two occupants could say another word. The last thing she needed was for them to start up a useless row when their voices were already grating on her nerves.

The older woman sighed dejectedly and smoothly coaxed Hermione into a sitting position before painstakingly undoing each button to her robes then vigilantly shimmying her shirt over the Head Girl's rioted head of hair. Draco's eyes never left her face as the healer repaired all of his mate's lacerations and tender skin so that all was left was her normal, golden glowing countenance. His hands soothed from the crown of her head, to the middle of her back, to right where her curly locks ended. If only Hermione knew how much restraint it was taking for him to not look her over and marvel at the beauty of her. Hermione had her head down cast with a pink hue evident on her cheeks, making it all the more difficult for Draco to resist. His hand tightened into a fist for a moment before he knotted his fingers in her hair once again.

Madame Pomfrey worked quickly, healing each and every bruise with years of practice to back up her every spell. As her fingers roamed on Hermione's ribcage, she felt a distinct bump that gave her the impression that a few of the girl's ribs were broken. She poured a bit of skele-grow in a tiny stoneware cup and handed it to Hermione who drank it with distaste written clearly on her face.

Draco watched as Hermione gasped in pain as a distinct cracking sound resonated in his ears. He glanced fleetingly at the bottle Madame Pomfrey had just used and winced when he saw what it was. Being that he was a Quidditch player, Draco had had his fair share of broken bones. Skele-grow was nasty shite.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered while he gently laid his hands on Hermione's forearms and pulled her closer so her forehead was leaning against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him and Draco shivered as he felt the softness of her bra through his light shirt. He settled for stroking her back and trying to ignore the lack of her clothing. The tightness of her grasp helped him to remember the fact that she was going through something painful just as he was with her nails stabbing mercilessly into his pale skin.

After what seemed like forever, Hermione loosened her arms around him and breathed in deeply. "I'm fine." She flexed her fingers and flinched when she noticed how tense they had become. She regarded her still white knuckles with a scowl then looked up at Draco. "Sorry about that." Her nails hurt from how hard she had dug them into his back. She could only imagine the tiny crescent shaped scars she had left from her moment of blinding pain.

"It's alright." Draco replied with a slow and gentle smile.

Martyr indeed.

"Miss Granger, you have to stay here until the morning so I can make sure the skele-grow has worked properly and your bones set in correct alignment." Madame Pomfrey turned to Draco with a cocked eyebrow. The healer handed Hermione her cami and she slipped it on nonchalantly before leaning back on her pillow. "I suppose you'll be staying as well?" Draco nodded and pulled a chair up to the bed so he could be near her.

oOo

Minutes slipped by and Hermione's eyelids slowly drifted closed as she fell into a dreamless sleep thanks to a potion.

Draco had his head resting on his folded arms and his cool eyes were tracing over her nearly bare body. His own eyes slid closed as he floated into the most comfortable sleep he had had in quite a long time.

oOoOo

This chapter left my heart beating a bit too fast… Writing the scene with Hermione breaking apart was actually very fun for me. Does that make me evil? I think something in me relates to her on a much more minor level.


	12. Levels

Chapter dedicated to: LillithAurora. Thank you for being so kind in pushing my bum into high gear.

A/N: See below because I'm sure you'd rather read the chapter before my author's note. o.o!

oOoOo

**Chapter 11**

'**Levels'**

Hermione woke with a start, blinking at the bright light that the large windows were letting in. That was odd being that she always closed her curtains before she fell asleep… the objects in front of her became more defined as she squeezed her eyes shut then opened them rapidly. White bed sheets very different from her purple ones bombarded her and a groan escaped her lips before she could stop it with a clench of her teeth. A quiet exhale caught her attention and her head snapped to near her arm and a smile slowly spread over her face.

Draco was still where he had been the night before and his head was leaning on her stomach while his arm was thrown haphazardly around her waist. His soft blonde hair was splayed over her white cami and his pale lavender eyelids were closed still even as she brought her hand to stroke his locks. She heard him breathe in deeply before opening one eye so she could see his silver colored irises peering sleepily up at her. "Come on Draco, we should get up before someone comes for me." He merely groaned and turned his head away from her all while snuggling closer to her even though he was seated in his chair.

Hermione scrunched her nose while a smile graced her lips. Who would've known that the great Slytherin Prince woke up like a grumpy two year old? _'It kind of makes sense though.'_ She thought - Draco was a spoiled guy. His mum had probably let him sleep in just to avoid tantrums.

The door creaked open though neither of the room's occupants noticed that they were being watched.

Ron's eye twitched as he watched Hermione play with _Draco Malfoy's_ hair. She had a bit of a smile on her face and a faraway look that he thought only Luna could pull off. Harry nudged him and they stepped closer, but not without their best female friend noticing them. She looked up and suddenly seemed worried.

"Draco, you _really_ need to get up." Hermione stressed while poking his shoulder with her pointer finger and letting out an exhausted sigh. It was too early for them to get into a big fight… Wasn't it?

"Don't care." He mumbled but he moved to rub his eyes with a show of child-like innocence she didn't know he could handle.

"Well you should care." Her voice held an odd edge of both dark humor and worry that made him look up.

That was when Draco noticed the resident redhead and green eyed boy staring at them, one of them angrily, the other passively. He bit back a yawn and completely ignored Weasley and instead acknowledged Hermione's other friend.

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

They nodded to each other with stressed politeness.

"Hermione, are you feeling better?" Harry moved closer but stopped when he saw Draco's jaw lock in what looked like an attempt to calm himself down.

Hermione gave Harry a small smile. "Yeah, I feel much better now. That skele-grow stuff is horrible though." She made a face of disgust before flashing a curious look to Ron who had been surprisingly silent throughout their conversation. She still hadn't forgiven him, but usually that didn't matter to him. He would just jabber on anyway as if he was too dense to realize she was angry with him. Which he probably was…

"Yeah, it is." He paused then spoke again, "And Pansy Parkinson is expelled for sure." The boy who lived turned to Draco with a mischievous glint in his forest colored eyes. "It took some wheedling, but after I found out that Hermione had broken and misplaced bones, it had been simple to convince Dumbledore that Pansy was a danger to Hermione." He smirked crookedly. "So, I doubt we'll be seeing much of her after the Ministry is through with her."

Draco snickered. "Never knew you had it in you, Potter."

Harry looked towards his friend on a cot and gave a slight smile. "Yeah, well, no one messes with my best friends."

Hermione looked between the two supposed enemies and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Harry was acting oddly… _cozy _towards Draco especially since he had just found out that she was destined to belong to his enemy for the rest of their lives. Even Ron was being docile which surprised her more than anything. She had thought he would explode with some sort of unjustified possessiveness of her.

But there was nothing.

"Harry." Hermione targeted her suspicions on her more docile friend who would tell her any secret if she asked the right way. "Why are you so… accepting?"

All the males in the room stiffened and found something to preoccupy their fidgeting hands with. Harry for his part held up well while giving Hermione a vague answer. "I figured I had to be." Draco let out a nearly silent sigh. They were doomed.

"You knew, didn't you?" Her eyes narrowed and Harry nearly flinched under her scrutiny.

"No…"

Hermione's head twisted towards Ron and he seemed to suddenly find the wall very interesting. "Ron… You guys knew and didn't _tell_ me? I thought you hated Draco! Why in the world would you keep his secrets?" She nodded apologetically towards Draco but kept her eyes locked on the increasingly uncomfortable redhead.

"Hermione…" Harry inched closer and for once Draco made no move to stop him from getting close his Mate. He knew that they needed to talk to clear things up. Anyway, his reflexes were faster than Potter's and if he made a move to touch her, the veela would be pinning him to the hard floors before the black haired Quidditch player could register what hit him.

"Yeah, we knew." Harry saw Hermione about to make some sort of retort but he held up his hand signaling for her to just wait until her was finished. "The only reason we didn't tell you was because Malfoy didn't want us to." Her gaze snapped to him and Draco glared at Potter with an odd feeling of betrayal coursing in his veins. Weren't Gryffindors supposed to be above shoving the blame on others? It was a cowardly thing to do after all. Apparently there was more mischievousness in Potter than Draco had originally thought.

"I only wanted them to keep it from you because I wanted to win you over." She only raised an eyebrow to show that she was listening and waiting for him to elaborate on his half-arsed excuse. "Imagine if the second we had gotten into the Head's room I told you that you were my mate. How would you have responded?"

"I would've hit you." Hermione said bluntly. Draco saw that she was thinking through what he had said with that ever calculating mind of hers.

"Yeah, and I would've deserved it. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to sit through that train ride with you?" He didn't wait for a reply; he was on a roll, an emotional and turbulent roll that would hopefully win over his point. "I had problems with sitting still and not moving closer to you. Gods, I felt like some sort of addict. I barely had your attention or even good feelings, but I couldn't stay away from you." He laughed derisively. "I didn't want you to think I was crazy or just wanted something physical. I wanted you to see that I was being genuine. I hated the idea of hurting you, and I wanted you to like me. I didn't want to just come out and say that you were my mate." Draco shifted his weight to the foot that was closer to her and reached out to touch her cheek. "You're compassionate, Hermione. I think you would've helped me, even if it made you unhappy. I didn't want you to do anything out of pity. I wanted you to really like me or maybe love me like I love you." His voice grew quieter as if that last part was only meant for her and not the room's two other enraptured occupants. His fingers trailed over her flushed skin as he completely ignored his Mate's friends. They were insignificant and faded into the background of the canvas that was any other than Hermione who was the only thing he really saw. It was like everything around him was 2D and she was the only 3D object there, beckoning to him with just the flutter of her embarrassed eyes.

She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the odd feeling his gaze stirred in her. "I… I know I'll end up forgiving you." Hermione let out a hopeless sigh. Her resolve was weak when he gave her _that look_, the one where his eyes looked more liquid than melted silver or freshly spilled unicorn blood. The look when he seemed as if there was no one else in his line of sight but her. The look that made her feel more important than gold to a greedy tax collector. Draco merely nodded at her and rested his hand on top of her lightly clenched one.

Footsteps approached the door quickly and a rather flustered looking Madame Pomfrey slipped through the entrance with Dumbledore in her wake.

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, you two have to get to your classes." Madame Pomfrey started pushing them towards the door while the headmaster approached Hermione and Draco slowly, being cautious of the veela-mate pair.

"Mr. Malfoy… There is someone who wants to see you." Dumbledore motioned for the ruffled blonde teen to follow behind him.

Draco let out a quiet exhale and leaned down to plant a kiss on the corner of Hermione's lips. "I'll be back to see you later. Stay here and listen to Madame Pomfrey, alright?" He turned _that look_ on and Hermione could only nod her head dumbly. It was rather degrading to become immobilized by just one looks. And here she'd thought she'd been above that sort of thing…

She watched as Draco trailed after Dumbledore and gave her a small parting smile that made her already warm heart melt like snow in Tahiti during the hottest summer in one hundred years.

oOo

Draco followed after Dumbledore while trying to straighten his shirt and hair. His fingers slid through his locks and caught on the slight knots while an exasperated breath escaped his lips. Whoever wanted to see him better be worth leaving Hermione. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and just _sit_ next to her and coax a few more kisses out of her.

As the two of them approached the door into the Headmaster's office, a slight grin slipped on his face as he heard a familiar pair of feet pacing back and forth. As he pushed the door open, he saw the second most important woman in his life wearing a hole into Dumbledore's floor with her patent Jimmy Choo Bluefly shoes.

"Mother?" He whispered when he saw the worried frown on her face. She turned on her sharp, thin heels and launched herself at him causing him to stumble back before he caught her in his arms. "Are you alright?" He felt her shaking and pulled away quickly, his eyes searching hers. Draco was stunned when he saw tears on her face, leaving pale lilac trails down her face because of her Muggle eye shadow. He felt concern slipping into his veins like an icy shock. His mother wasn't one to break down and show emotions. Many thought of her as cold and she could be that way towards stranger, but never him. He knew she was emotional… But never _this _emotional. Ever since he was little she had done everything in her power to be strong for him and show him how a Malfoy was to view the world.

This, this was _scaring _him. She hadn't been this torn up when his father had died even though she had some sort of love for the man.

Draco faintly registered the sound of the door closing and Dumbledore sneaking off somewhere to give them some much needed space.

"Mother… What's wrong?" She reached a ring clad hand and touched his face lightly with anxious, teary eyes.

"Oh Draco… You're alright…"

His brow furrowed. Why wouldn't he be alright? "I'm fine, mum." His voice grew soft as he reverted to calling her by the nickname he had for her when he was only about seven. Draco waited out her tears as she sniffled and said 'thank Merlin' over and over again.

When she finally pulled away, he handed her a handkerchief from his back pocket and watched as she blotted away her remaining tears.

"Draco, honey, you look horrible." She rasped out while tugging at his wrinkled shirt with a certain maternal air about her. Draco simply raised an eyebrow but said nothing about her mussed hair, smudged makeup, and slightly askew coat. She had raised him better than to ever say any ill about how a woman looked in one of her weak moments. Plus, she was his mother so she was always pretty no matter what, he was half her after all.

She let out a sad half sigh, half unintelligible murmur and sat in the chair that Draco pulled out for her. "I'm sorry about that…" He was already shaking his head before she could go on with apologies. Draco heard her sigh and grip at his hand. "When Dumbledore owled me about what happened to Miss Granger-…" His grasp tighter onto her dainty, glove covered fingers. "I was so scared Draco. If she were to die, then I would lose you. Not to mention the fact that I would never get a chance to spoil my grandchildren rotten." Small, nearly identical smiles graced both their faces, hers more nostalgic and his more longing. "And I've never seen you as happy as you are with her. Seeing you happy makes me happy, Draco."

"Yes, mum." He said all the while rolling his eyes while a contradictory soft smile remained on his lips.

"And you two better give me beautiful grandbabies. I want at least two of them so I can buy cute clothes and toys." She said in a mock warning while watching as an almost bashful expression passed over her son's face. "But not yet of course!" She added hastily. "I'm sure Miss Granger wants to go to university being that she's a genius… And it wouldn't hurt for you to get a job as well." An impish grin settled on Draco's quirked lips.

"Yeah, she'd like that a lot I think."

"Now, can I visit my future daughter-in-law?" She inquired slyly while ignoring the warning look Draco gave her.

oOo

There was a knock on the door then someone who Hermione hadn't expected to see stepped into the room.

"Ron." She knew that her shock was evident in her voice.

Her redheaded acquaintance shuffled his feet and stepped forward with an awkward step. "I'm here because I wanted to say I'm sorry." Hermione just gave him a curt nod and turned her face away from him to look out the window onto the chilly, dewy morning. There was the sound of a chair being pulled out and she found Ron inhabiting the chair where Draco had camped out the entire night. "Mione… I really am sorry."

"Sure."

"Mione, please. I miss having you tell me to read and eat slower."

Hermione let out a loud sigh. "Ron… I'm not going to sugar-coat it… You hurt me. Physically, emotionally, and mentally you've done me damage. I'm _never_ going to do someone else's homework again. So don't expect that from me ever again. But most of all I am not going to take abuse. I refuse to be used anymore." Her eyes flashed with determination and a strength she hadn't known she possessed.

Ron's gaze was downcast and his hands were clenched in his lap. "I-I know that what I did to you was wrong. I won't do it again… I promise. I hope you can forgive me." His blue eyes looked up to meet hers and it made Hermione's hard resolve weaken just a tiny bit.

"Ron... I- You swear on your mother's life that you won't do it again?"

His eyes widened. "I swear it."

A slight grin broke out on Hermione's face. "Then I forgive you. I can't say the same for Draco, but it's up to him if he forgives you or not." There was a mischievous glint in her eyes that made the redhead grimace.

"You really have been around Malfoy too much. Threatening my mother then finding my impending suffering amusing…" His voice trailed off as Hermione laughed lightly. Her giggles filled the cold room and bounced off the stone walls, warming the atmosphere considerably. Ron's eyes softened. He had missed her laughter.

"Thanks Hermione." He moved to hug her but as he did her laughter stopped.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Her voice was serious now.

"Ah… Right… He would know, wouldn't he?" She nodded and Ron nodded to her and gave a small smile. "I gotta go to lunch now."

"You missed part of your lunch for me?" Hermione's voice was surprised. She knew there was nearly nothing that would stop Ron from gorging his face during meals.

"Of course 'Mione." He flashed another smile before turning on his heel and heading towards the great hall where a rather large roast beef sandwich was calling his name.

oOo

Hermione grumbled as she lay back on her bed. She was perfectly fine now, just a little sore from the Skele-grow and falling from a very tall building. But that was to be expected, wasn't it? At least she had a few books that Dumbledore had graciously brought from the library to read. He had said homework was prohibited, that she should just rest up so she could get back to classes quicker.

She let her eyes slide shut and begged for sleep to claim her so that she wouldn't be so bored. Sure, the books were nice, but she wanted something to really occupy her mind. Where were Muggle puzzles when you needed them? They had always kept her distracted as a child, especially the ones with fairies and puppies. A low groan escaped her lips as she sat back up and reached vengefully for a book. As she turned the pages, an odd need to write on the pristine paper overcame her. Never before had she wanted to deface school property as she did now. She was scary bored now.

Hermione stood and raised her arms above her head to stretch out the kinks in her back.

A resounding crack sounded and reverberated through her spine and ran to her connected ribs. Her heart rate sped up to a thundering pace as a loud gasp escaped her now white lips. One of her arms shot out to catch her fall on the bedside table as a few of the books, papers, and a glass fell to the ground. The sharp sound of it breaking into pieces kept her from falling under the veil her pain had cast over her. Each of her uneven breaths were quick gasps for air that lungs were pleading shamelessly for. The delicate skin of her palm landed on a few bits of glass that had flung from their crash epicenter. Hermione felt sticky, warm blood collecting in her hand but that wasn't the worst of it. Her previously broken (and supposedly fixed) ribs were whining in protest of her every inhalation. It was like last night, just a lot worse because of the coppery smell of her own blood hanging in the air. She wasn't squeamish, but it did make her uncomfortable to smell blood. It reminded her of the battles between Voldemort where so many people had died, their flesh rotting six feet under…

Hermione let out a whimper and blinked hot tears away.

She was sick of being weak. Why couldn't she just get over the pain? She'd dealt with worse when Draco's Aunt Bellatrix had cast the _Crutiatus_ curse on her. This was nothing but a few broken ribs and cuts on her hand. She could deal with it. She was still in school and already a war veteran, why not act like one?

Hermione took in a sharp breath and heaved herself from the floor and sat on her cot while reaching for a clean cloth to dab at her palm with. Before she could attempt to grab for some water, the rather heavy entrance door swung open as if shoved by a great force. Her head snapped towards it and she saw two blonde haired people standing there, one with a horrified expression and the other wearing a look of maternal concern.

"Hermione?" Draco moved quickly to her side and gently placed his hands on her to get her up from the cold tiles. Air hissed between her clenched teeth as she sat on the cot, her body leaning forward to try to lessen the amount of movement of her ribs. Cool fingers pulled at methodically at the pieces of glass imbedded in her now red tinged skin.

"Draco, darling, let me take care of it. Go find Madam Pomfrey to fix up her ribs. There's only so much I can do." Hermione couldn't wrench her eyes open to see whether Draco was silently refusing to leave or not. She had a distinct feeling he was. A softer, tinier pair of hands was suddenly holding hers gingerly between theirs. "Let me just get out my wand and all the glass will be gone."

There was a loud aggravated sigh from Draco's mother and her voice spoke softly, "Draco, honestly, you'll be of much more help to her if you go and get Madame Pomfrey. I'm not going anywhere too fast in these shoes."

With that Draco's footsteps receded from where they were at a very quick pace.

Hermione flushed from embarrassment. It was the second time Draco Malfoy's mother, a prestigious Pureblood, had seen her weak and nearly helpless. Hopefully the woman was as nice as Draco had said she was. Maybe she was bitter now that she knew she was Draco's Mate… Maybe she had been hoping it would be Pansy Parkinson or Millicent Bulstrode. Sure, last time she had been kind, but maybe now she wanted someone better for her amazing son…

There was an odd feeling spreading from her fingertips and wrist ending right in the middle of her palm. It was cool and icy and numbed her pain from the shards cutting into her skin. Hermione cautiously opened an eye and noticed that her hand was good as new except for the blood that remained on the surface of the healed cuts. She made a move to grab the cloth to wipe her hand clean but was stopped by a gentle yet firm hand that pushed her back towards the bed.

"I got it sweetie." The older woman must have seen the shock that crossed Hermione's face for she laughed and gave a slow smile. "You're my Draco's Mate. You're a part of the family now." She patted Hermione on the head and proceeded to dab away the blood with a damp cloth.

Hermione felt herself give the older woman a smile despite the pain in her chest. "Thank you Mrs. Malfoy." A tinkling laugh echoed in the stone room causing Hermione to flush. Had she said something wrong?

"Oh, you're sweet. You can call me Narcissa." Hermione didn't give a reply but simply held her breath as another wave of pain washed over her. Narcissa's gentle hands stroked her hair and Hermione heard her voice softly humming. It was very soothing… She had forgotten how a mother's touch could heal even the worst of pains.

Hermione fell so deep under the spell of Draco's mother's tune that she didn't even register a new pair hands touching her with soothing intentions. She looked up and saw her veela's grey eyes staring intently at her, taking in her feeble and weak looking body. When he suddenly offered her his hand she frowned. Why would she hold it when it felt much better when his finger knotted in her hair? Then she saw Madame Pomfrey approaching with a small amount of some nasty looking goop on a spoon. Hermione swallowed and grabbed Draco's hand while opening her mouth for the medicine to be administered. A slight wave of nausea hit her due to the intensely sour and unpleasant taste, but it passed before she could make even more of mess than she already had. Her nails instantly dug into Draco's soft, forgiving skin. This wasn't Skele-grow… This was _worse_.

Hermione brought her hand to her lips and bit on the spot just below her thumb joint. Hot tears welled in the corners of her eyes but she refused to let them fall this time. Her teeth broke into her skin and it only took a moment for Draco to ease her bleeding hand away from her mouth. "Let it out Hermione." She shook her head 'no'. She didn't want to be some damsel in distress. She was Hermione Granger. She was strong and smart and bossy… And currently in pain that could rival that of childbirth.

oOo

"Please." Draco pleaded as he watched his Mate's eyes screw shut even tighter. Her lip was trembling and covered in blood thanks to her little 'hold back the tears' stunt.

A shot of pain raced up his spine making him blink in shock. It _hurt_. It wasn't the usual stabbing at his heart that he got whenever Hermione was subjected to pain. No, this was like the pain she was feeling. Her anguish lapped at him in waves, making his brain ache.

Merlin, this was what she was going through but _diluted_.

"What is it doing to her?" He demanded while a strange, strangled whimper escaped her throat.

"It's taking calcium from her bloodstream and using it to reconnect her cracked bones. It seems that a few pieces had actually come off and those are being hunted out by the enzymes. The reason she's in pain is because the enzymes have to sift her blood as well as go though muscles and veins to reach the bone fragments." Madame Pomfrey's factual and unattached answer made Draco angry for some reason. Of course it wasn't her fault Hermione was here or in pain. It was Parkinson's… He should've used _Avada Cadavra _when he had the chance…

Draco clutched tighter onto her hand and sat next to her on the unkempt cot. His arms circled around her as he tugged her into his lap so that he could better shelter her from the surrounding world. "I'm so sorry." He knew his words probably meant nothing to her right then and there, but hopefully she understood he'd take all of her pain if he could. Merlin, had no one developed a spell to transfer pain from one person to another? He didn't want her cowering into him even if he longed for her touch. What he wanted was for all this to be over so he could hold her under much better circumstances. Like, say, as she slept or read _Hogwarts: A History_ for the millionth time.

Another small sound of agony left her lips and Draco's breath sped up. "Please, Hermione… Just let it out. Keeping all that pain in is just making it worse."

"N-no."

"Hermione… No one will think less of you. Just don't keep it in."

Sob after sob ripped from her throat and she shook like a person who'd been out in a snowstorm for too long. Draco's brow furrowed as he hid his Mate's face in his neck. Her every pained breath infiltrated the thin material of his shirt causing slight shivers to tremor through his body. He had to forcefully push away lustful thoughts as he stroked her hair and shushed her with soft words. His cheek rested on top of her head and his eyes slipped closed as he channeled all his energy and silent support from his body to hers.

"Y'know, I think we should go after Snape for creating this horrible potion. I think he was distracted by my mother." Draco ignored the sarcastic, dry chuckle his mother let out and instead focused on the ghost of a smile on Hermione's face.

Hermione's eyelids eventually shut as she fell out of consciousness due to the pain she was in. Draco felt her arms go limp around him and her shaky breathes even to deep, rhythmic ones that calmed him down. He shifted his hold on her as he laid back and brought her down next to him. Her hands fisted in his shirt and her head was just under his chin so that he could breathe in her warm and soft scent.

Madame Pomfrey moved around him to touch Hermione and check her pulse and such. The older woman let out a sigh and spoke in a light tone. "Miss Granger should be fine now. She just needs rest and to not move around too much."

Draco opened his eyes and gave a small, grateful nod and adjusted his arms around Hermione so she would be more comfortable. His lips ghosted over her forehead to her temple before settling on the highpoint of her cheekbone. A comfortable yet stressed sigh left his lips and his eyelids slowly slid shut over his grainy feeling eyes. He was so _conflicted_. Hermione was so soft in his arms and he felt truly alive for the first time in a long while. But also, she was so bruised. Not all injuries were superficial; many were just under her skin and in that steady beating heart of hers. Why had she been crying that other night? Seeing her so tense and anxious had made him physically hurt. It irked him that he still didn't know the reason behind that outburst, but Draco didn't have the heart to question her about it yet. He could wait until she was out of this God-forsaken room and back in their Head dormitories.

oOoOo

A/N: Sorry this took me so ridiculously long. I wouldn't be surprised if many of you are gone by now. For those readers who remain here are my lame reasons as to why it took so long (some reasons are quite viable and real, though):

I now write for a newspaper near me and that takes my devotion. School has started (as many of you know *-.-*). I'm in a new school this year (cyber homeschooled) and I need to dedicate my time to that as well. My mother is trying to make me more social (what can I say, I'm a homebody). And the best reason of all is… I'm evil and lazy to you all. I hope you can forgive me. I also hope this chapter wasn't too horrible.


	13. Bullies

A/N: Bonjour all. ^^; Yes, I worked all yesterday (my birthday) to get this chapter to you guys quickly. I hope you all are grateful of that. I had to battle various siblings, my mother, and an irritating spyware block to get this chapter up. But at least I'm finally 15.

A/N 2: This author's note has to do with this chapter and the story. I was inspired by the songs 'Glittering Cloud' by Imogen Heap and 'Lights' by Ellie Goulding. Yes, the first one has nothing to do with the plot, but hey. Music is weird that way. This chapter is filled with tension, so be ready for it. It needed to be done for their relationship to move on realistically. I hope you guys don't think things are moving too fast for them.

Chapter dedicated to: CS Copenhagen. I haven't given her proper attention for these last few chapters. So, thank you so very much for being a great beta to me.

oOoOo

**Chapter 12**

'**Bullies'**

Hermione grimaced as yet another person whispered to their neighbor as she walked by. It seemed as if the entire school had nothing better to do than gossip about her and Malfoy. She ducked her head as a few Slytherin girls eyed her with contempt and exclaimed loudly, "Well I guess another girl got their turn with Draco in bed."

Her cheeks heated up as she moved quicker through the halls. She really wished that Draco hadn't been asked to help with second years who were having trouble in various classes. Sure, it was sweet and all to imagine Draco being a guide to young children… But she wanted him next to her right at that moment. If he had been there holding her hand and glaring down all the girls he'd slept with who held ill feelings towards her, she wouldn't have felt so helpless.

Hermione despised the feeling that all the pairs of searching eyes gave her. Everyone wanted to know things, but some were too kind or too dumb to ask her. They were all so curious as to how Hermione Granger, know-it-all-bookworm, ended up being the _Slytherin_ Prince's mate.

When she had entered Potions earlier that morning (it just happened to be the one time where Slytherin and Gryffindor weren't paired for the class, lucky her) Snape had acted oddly towards her. His burning and curious gaze had nearly made her flinch on so many occasions. He hadn't been especially rude to her, but he lacked his usual acerbic attitude when he addressed her. Harry and Ron had found it disgusting that Snape would show tenderness towards their female friend. Hermione had only rolled her eyes and assured them that there was no way that she and Snape were going to be trading cookie recipes any time soon.

Now as Hermione tried to push her way through a throng of people to get to the library, she found the stares of her peers oppressive. It was like they were watching her every movement and scrutinizing everything she did. They were acting like she was a new person just because she and Draco were a… _thing_. Thankfully Ginny, Harry, and Ron still treated her the same. They were all starting to accept it, her included. Of course Ginny had been ecstatic and beyond words for a good ten minutes, but others weren't so exuberant about her new _relationship. _

As she wove through the tall stacks of books and shelves of tomes her ears were assaulted with murmurs of those she passed. Once she reached her favorite spot Hermione sunk into the cushioned chair and let out a loud, exhausted exhale. Her eyes slipped closed as she reveled in the sounds of the singing paintings. Their song was a soothing piano and violin number that numbed her senses and relieved her of the beginnings of a migraine.

Moments slipped by and Hermione didn't move an inch, she only took deep and even breathes in a meditative way. The heavy weight of the book in her lap kept her from falling asleep by reminding her of the reading she had to do for Arithmancy. She focused on every beat of her heart and her pulse that seemed rather lethargic to keep her mind from straying to a stressful subject.

Just as her breathes became heavier there was a scuffling sound that made her eyes snap open.

There before her stood two Slytherin girls with nasty looks on their sharp featured faces.

"Oh, look Heather; it seems we woke the Mudblood up." A girl Hermione recognized as Millicent Bulstrode spoke to her companion in a haughty, cold voice.

"You're right Mills. What a shame. Poor girl probably didn't get a lot of sleep with Draco around." The girl named Heather winked suggestively to Millicent before turned to Hermione with a cruel look on her face.

"Is there something you need?" Hermione spoke against her better judgment. That was what they wanted, a response to their spite. She should've abided by the Muggle bullying code of law 'If you ignore them, they'll move on.' Sadly, her brain seemed a tad bit sluggish at the moment.

"Oh, we don't need anything. We've got plenty of things… Boyfriends who actually like us being one of them." Millicent cackled at the confused look that Hermione stupidly let slip on her face. "Oh please, Mudblood. You can't honestly think he likes you! He only tolerates you because he's a veela. There's no way he wants anything more than a good tumble in the sheets and to live."

Hermione felt her face heat up and her eyes glass over with tears. That was untrue! Sure, he would want to live and he wasn't going to suddenly become an abstainer of all things physical and sexual… But he had said so that he liked her more than just a mate…

Before she could whip out her wand and do something that could relinquish her of her Head Girl title, a voice drawled which caused her and the Slytherin girls' attention to become otherwise directed. "Millicent, Heather, lay off. Now."

The girls' eyes widened and they scampered off as if they were dogs being called by a master who had a treat for them.

The owner of the voice stepped closer to her and held out his hand.

Hermione's eyes traveled up his arm and to his face. She was met with a pair of dark eyes that were a color reminiscent of a midnight sky during a storm when the moon is full.

"I'm Blaise Zabini, one of Draco's friends." He looked at her expectantly and Hermione, to be polite, offered her hand to him. When he brought it to his lips, a sudden blush flew to Hermione's face. He let go of her hand and she rested it on top of her book where it rested in a loose fist. "May I sit with you?" His civil and well-mannered question surprised her more than the kiss on her hand had. Weren't all the Slytherin's supposed to be furious with her for taking away their poster boy? Because apparently she had napped them of him and was corrupting him with her goody-two-shoes ways or whatever else they were saying.

Hermione cleared her throat and motioned toward the chair near her. "Sure."

"I'm sorry about those two." A sour look must've passed over her face because Zabini grimaced. "And everyone else in my house. They don't know how stupid and childish they're being."

She sighed and commenced fidgeting with a lock of her hair to keep her calm. "It's not your fault… People are just rude." He nodded sympathetically.

"Draco used to be just like them." Zabini started and Hermione let out a rather unladylike snort. "Which of course you remember being that you were on the receiving end of his rudeness…" he added with a grim smile. "But he's better now. You really changed his way of looking at things. I mean, I heard he's helping second years. Is that true?" He was nodding his head in disbelief when Hermione affirmed his question. "You see, there's no way he would've done that before. Dumbledore wouldn't have let him. Drake would've spent the entire time using the tykes as targets for nasty spells."

Hermione laughed but nodded in agreement. "He's changed, yes, but I don't think I can take honor of being the person who changed him. His mum has softened him up for sure." The two Malfoy's had a surprisingly warm and open relationship.

"Eh… Nah, it's you." Her face warmed up under his sincere gaze. A mischievous smile that Hermione was beginning to correlate with all Slytherin's found its way on his features. "It's not just because he's a veela. You make a lot of people see the good in themselves without realizing it."

"Thank you." Her eyes were cast low and her answer was polite and demure.

"Draco's lucky to have you and not some cow like Millicent or a pug like Parkinson." She grinned at the boy who was making fun of his own housemates to cheer her up.

A silence settled over them but in a companionable way rather than an awkward way. "You know… I think he's had a thing for you for a while." There was an impish light in Zabini's eyes that made her squirm uncomfortably. She never could tell what Slytherin's had going on in those scheming heads of theirs. "I think it may have been since you hit him in 3rd year…" He mused aloud. "You broke his nose, you know."

Her eyes widened and a slight gasp left her parted lips. "No!"

"Oh, yeah, you broke it alright." Zabini was grinning now as if the memory of his friend's injury was a good one. "You should've heard the way he cursed all the way to Madame Pomfrey's." He shook his head and laughed. "Oh it was so great to tease him about that. A girl broke his nose and a Muggle born at that. He was humiliated for the longest time."

Hermione's head hung in shame. Sure, the event had taken place years ago, and sure, Draco never brought it up… But still… He _had_ deserved it then but Hermione didn't usually resort to violence as means to solve problems.

"I think he gained an ounce of respect for you then." Zabini chuckled.

"I suppose that's a good thing." Hermione said, glancing at the large grandfather clock that stood against a wall near a red wood bookshelf. When she saw it was past dinner time, she stood. Harry and Ginny were expecting her to show up.

"I'm sorry Zabini, I have to be somewhere." She quickly gathered her book and satchel before turning back to the Italian.

"Oh, that's fine. And please call me Blaise." He flashed a genuine smile and stuck his hand out. Hermione obliged and was met with another kiss to her knuckles. The blush erupted under her skin again as she turned away and hastily made her way to the dining hall.

oOo

"Hermione." He whined, "The kids were harassing me again today." Her eyes were alight with amusement as she watched her veela pout like a small child. "They kept asking me rude things like what veelas really are and if it was hard to be a veela. One even had the nerve to ask what its' like to have the hottest girl in the world as yours." A wicked little grin slid on his face and Hermione blushed under the gaze of his rapidly darkening eyes. "I told them it's like being in heaven."

"That's uh... nice I suppose." Hermione hesitated for a second, wondering whether she should tell Draco about her talk with Blaise. He was rather protective of her being around males because of her being… _unmarked_. But he would just have to trust her because her two best friends were guys and a vast majority of the school's population was male. Regretfully, there was nothing he could do about that fact either, without running the risk of going to Azkaban that is. "I had a chat with Blaise earlier."

Draco's head snapped up from his gaze on their intertwined hands to her eyes in a second. His jaw was taut but his grip on her fingers remained as comforting and gentle as ever. "Did he do anything to you?" He inquired in a forced calm voice.

"He was a perfect gentleman." She didn't feel the need to tell him about what the people had questioned her about. Hermione could do without him going on some rampage just because someone had upset her. "We had a nice conversation."

"I'm glad. I haven't had time to talk to him in while."

Hermione's eyes grew soft around the edges. "You don't have to neglect your friends for me."

Draco was shaking his head before she had even finished her statement. "I'm not neglecting them because of you… I just rather have your company over anyone else's." The tips of his fingers trailed down her cheek until they reached her chin where his hand cupped her face. He didn't dare breath or speak a word lest he ruin the sudden silence that blanketed over them. He leaned in and nuzzled her neck before laying a gentle kiss under her ear and moving with the soft line of her jaw until he brushed against her lips softly.

"Hermione… Why were you crying the other night? In the Astronomy Tower, I mean." Curiosity had been burning within him since the actual event had taken place. Granted, now probably wasn't the best time, but he _needed_ to know.

Hermione stiffened and it made a frown etch its way into his skin. Her gaze fell to her hands which she was playing with anxiously. It was a habit of hers, just like how she bit on her lip whenever she was thinking deeply.

Draco hesitantly took one of her small hands in his before she could start twisting her rings around her finger. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." When she looked up at him with sadness in her eyes he became both worried and even more curious than before. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm softly, then each of her slender fingers. With each light peck he felt her tenseness and resolve weaken under his touch.

"I… A few days before the… incident… Harry had told me to think about how you were acting recently." A small crease formed on her forehead and Draco was tempted to smooth it away with his lips. Instead he let her go on because he could tell how hard it was for her to divulge her reasons for crying. "I went to the library and even made up a list," He smiled a bit before urging her on with a graze of his lips over the inside on her wrist. "I thought of werewolves. But I remember you're not very fond of them and you're not gone during a full moon. Then I thought of vampires. That didn't make sense being that I would've seen you drink blood at least once. And you're eyes aren't the right color." The frown on her face deepened. "Veela was the only thing left that made sense… I read about them and it all just _clicked_. The eyes changing color, your pale skin and hair." She finally looked up and the utter sadness in her eyes made his heart stop for half a beat. "I got to the part about… mates… And I-." Hermione stuttered and looked away from his imploring eyes to study the wall with avid fascination.

"I'm dense, that's all I can say." She laughed bitterly. "I never noticed anything different about you other than the fact that you were, no, are, nicer to me. I just thought maybe since we were working together you decided to be mature about out past relations and issues." Her fingers twisted in his hand and he could tell how much she wanted to fidget from anxiety. "I never thought that I was your mate. The first thing in my head was that you had her stashed away somewhere safe, or maybe you hadn't found her yet." Hermione's eyes met his and he was alarmed by the lack of confidence in them. Her pulse was quickening under his fingers and he knew she was in an awkward position. He hated that she was uncomfortable, but he needed to know it all or else her tears would haunt him to the grave.

"The idea of some beautiful girl captivating your every attention bothered me. I-I didn't want that and it was all thanks to the fact that I fancied you more than I should have." Hermione took a deep breath of air, seizing half the room's oxygen in an inhalation. "Up in the Astronomy Tower I had found Ron and Pavarti _snogging_ like wild animals. At the time it had bothered me, but I got over it quick enough. But when I saw that desk they… occupied… I felt empty. I wanted someone. When you asked me what was wrong I just couldn't lie to you." Draco moved his hand from hers to cup her cheek to see if there were any tears there. Thankfully, her skin wasn't covered in salty water. "Something in me snapped and the pain of believing you belonged to some pretty, faceless girl just _broke_ me. I didn't want to be jealous of someone I didn't even know, but I couldn't help it. I hated that I would never get a chance with you. Draco, you were just so forgiving and kind towards me every time I cried. It hurt because I wanted to be the one to hold you and be close to you. But that would never happen and it hurt all the more because I…" Hermione's gaze returned to his and he couldn't help but notice the tortured yet determined look in them. "Because I fell in love with you."

Her admission made him both upset and enthralled.

She, Hermione Granger his Mate _loved _him. That fact melted him from head to toe, making his heart calm and content.

But he couldn't believe that she hadn't picked up on his differences earlier. He had a way of treating her that was different than the cool air he projected towards others. Had she not noticed the fact that his eyes only darkened when he was around her, or the fact that his gaze held a certain gentleness and pride whenever he looked at her?

Apparently She-Weasel was right in saying that Hermione was dense when it came to matters outside of books and knowledge that was logical. Sadly for her, the affairs of the heart were never logical or accurate in books.

Draco was bothered by the fact that she kept referring to his nonexistent other mate as beautiful, and, indirectly, perfect. Her self-esteem was still so lacking. She didn't see herself clearly whatsoever and it troubled him deeply. No, he wasn't seeing things through rose colored glasses, because others saw it too. Nearly every Hogwart's student was well aware of Hermione Granger and her, to be frank, amazingness.

His dark slate colored eyes met her brown ones and he saw the insecurity and doubt in them. He leaned forward and whispered in a soft but assuring tone. "Please don't ever be unsure about yourself. _Ever._" Draco lazily trailed his fingers from her cheek to behind her head where his hand became tangled in her curly yet soft hair. His lips finally met hers and he felt her immediately respond.

Hermione's slim arms wrapped around him and her hands settled a bit below his neck so that she could better pull him closer to her. Draco obliged and agilely lifted her from her position next to him on the couch so that she was now settled comfortably in his lap. His fingers tenderly massaged her scalp and his lips moved softly against hers as he tried to coax a moan from her. When her nails gently scratched at his collar, Draco found that he was the first one to sigh in pleasure. Once his tongue darted out to taste her lips he found himself in a whole different world; heaven.

The taste of Hermione was like the essence of life to him. She was air, water, sleep, comfort, home, and honeysuckle all at once. Draco felt like he could spend the rest of his life describing all the things that her taste was to him. She was just _indescribable_. The feel of her was warm and so unbelievably soft and _right_.

When her tongue hesitantly met his, Hermione let out a small gasp of surprise that bled into a content moan. Draco dragged his hands from her hair, down her covered arms, and then they settled low on her back, just above the arch of her bum. He grew high on the scent of her enveloping him, her taste overwhelming him, and her feverish body molding to his. Every single dip and curve was his to touch if she only consented and that concept was too difficult for his head to wrap around. She was mind boggling and it was disconcerting to him that every intelligent thought suddenly fled his mind. All that mattered was running his fingers over every inch of her visible, creamy skin.

The two finally pulled away from the breathless kiss and Hermione's eyelids lazily opened to meet Draco's pure black irises. She didn't flinch at the depthless color. Instead she felt needed and _confident_ under his scorching and lustful gaze. It gave her an odd sense of power to know that Draco wanted every last bit of her. She was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of a physical relationship, but it was nice to know there was someone who wanted her and that she wasn't perceived as asexual.

Draco's head rested on her shoulder while his lips softly kissed her neck. With every inhale he took in more and more of her heated scent. Embarrassing as it was, her closeness made his mouth water for more of her skin to sample. In an act of sating that primal and anomalous yearning, he laid open-mouthed yet innocent kisses above her collarbone. His fingers gently tugged at the neckline of Hermione's shirt so that a bit of her shoulder was visible to him.

Once his lips found their way to her neck, something changed.

There was a warm flood of something in his mouth – not saliva, but rather a sweet and thick tasting liquid-like need to… to mark.

Draco abruptly pulled away and tried to untangle himself from her yielding and tender embrace. He took in deep breathes and tried to clear his mind of anything to do with marking, sex, or snogging.

Merlin, was that impossible.

Hermione seemed to sense something was off with him and she let him put space between them. Her hands soothingly stroked his hair and face, setting him into an even more lustful state of mind.

What would those same hands feel like dragging slowly down his back as he made love to her?

Draco growled under his breath. That idea was _not_ helping him calm down. Not at all. His Mate deserved something better than a savage marking and brutal mating. Yes, mating, not love. That was the way some veelas were towards their mates and he refused to treat her as a concubine with the benefits of his undying love and such. He wanted her to choose when. He wanted her to feel safe, and most of all, comfortable. There would be none of that biting-till-she-bled-stuff that some veelas partook in; only sensuous and slow kisses that allowed her to feel how much he adored her.

"Can a mate be marked without," She swallowed thickly and shoved away all her pre-pubescent stuttering at the mention of sex, "Having consummated?"

Draco's head snapped towards her so quickly Hermione was sure she heard his neck crack. "Hermione…" He started while taking a deep breath. Merlin, she was testing his thinly stretched control… The thought, however barbaric and _un-_Malfoy, of sinking his teeth into her forgiving skin sent his heart racing too fast. Everyone would see that she was his. Every kinky hair on top of her head was his to touch and twirl around his finger. Only he could touch her in places no one else had because she was his. _No one else's._

"Will it help you if I'm marked? Will it make it easier for you, Draco?" Gah, there she went thinking about him and his 'better good' or whatever.

"Hermione, I _refuse_ to mark you without you actually wanting it. I don't want this to be about me, love." The term of endearment felt foreign to his tongue, but it slid off anyways. Draco liked the way her cheeks brightened to a rosy shade whenever he regarded her intimately.

"Will it make things easier?" She ignored his statement and steamed on like the stubborn witch she was.

Draco sighed and fingered a lock of her hair that fell in front of her shoulder, resting on the soft slope of her breast. "I suppose. I wouldn't feel quite as possessive of you when you're around other males. But Hermione, we'd be connected. You have to remember that once I mark you, every emotion you feel is mine too, even more so than now."

"I want that." Her eyes met his and he could see a fight broiling below her calm façade.

The veela within him was longing to just say yes and give in to her whim while the sensible and human side was telling him to wait, to see if she really and truly wanted this. His teeth literally _ached_ to sink into her flesh and taste her sweet blood against his tongue, sating his basest desire.

Draco shuddered and put more space between them by putting Hermione next to him instead of on him where he could feel every pulse of blood going through her delicate, lavender veins.

"Draco, please. I really do want that. It's not only because things will be easier for you. I'm being selfish, really." Her gaze cast downward.

"How are you being the selfish one?" He asked incredulity.

"I don't want to have to worry about Millicent Bulstrode or Pansy's followers gouging my eyes out or staking claim or something like that." Hermione laughed bitterly before quieting. "And there would always be the fact that I would be implicitly yours."

Draco entangled his fingers in her hair and laid a small kiss on her temple all while keeping his lips from wandering anywhere near her slender neck. "You already are implicitly mine, Hermione. I love you too, you know."

Her frown smoothed out and she nervously looked from him to her hands. "Then make me yours." Hermione's voice held the tiniest hint of a challenge to it that made his inner Slytherin want to jump at the opportunity to win an easy fight.

"Hermione." He begged. Draco's control was teetering precariously on edge, like a coin at the corner of a smoothed out table. It was only moments before he too fell off the proverbial cliff and clattered to the ground.

"I'm not asking for consummation, not yet. I just want you to mark me." His fist clenched in her hair as he took deep and measured breathes. His teeth were grating against each other all the while making a horrible nails-on-a-chalkboard sound. Draco felt the now familiar warmth fill his mouth with an odd cinnamon and pomegranate taste. It threatened to open his jaw up and let his sharp teeth penetrate his Mate's skin.

"I truly want this Draco. Please."

His lips attacked hers in an almost primal, bruising kiss. All coherent and gentlemanly thoughts of kissing her properly were lost under the veil of lust and need to mark her. Surprisingly Hermione didn't respond negatively; instead she trailed her hands up from his own warm ones to his forearms before they settled on his shoulders.

Draco's teeth tugged gently at her bottom lip and then his tongue went on a perusal for hers. Hermione reacted with a quick gasp that was drowned out by his moan at the heat that left her mouth and invaded his. He tugged her arms from his shoulder and placed them behind his neck so they were crushed close to each other. Every contour and line of her body aligned to his as Draco pressed his hands on her back. His tongue swiped against her smooth teeth that held a minty taste then he found a spot just behind her lip that made her cling to him as if her life depended on it.

Heated moments slipped by and the need for air became more apparent as their gusto died down a bit.

A very, miniscule, tiny bit.

Draco's mouth continued its journey down the column of her throat to the center of her collarbones. Hermione clutched at his hair, pulling his lips to her neck. He lathed attention on one spot in particular where her blood was more potent than any other. (Besides the aortal artery, mind you. He didn't want to push things too far by ripping her flimsy shirt off of her.) Light nips and cautious love marks covered the area where he so desired to taste her blood.

"Are you sure you want this?" His voice was hoarse from barely restrained lust.

Hermione nodded, obviously unable to use her voice for much either.

Draco dragged his tongue over the area where he was to bite down, simply tasting and reveling in her smooth and sugary skin. Then, as a pulse from her heart sent oxygenated blood to her brain, he sunk his teeth into her yielding flesh.

oOo

…

…

…

Draco was in Nirvana.

Hermione's blood was so hot and thick and saccharine that for a moment he wasn't sure if he was a veela or a vampire. The spurts of the red life-liquid that filled his mouth very nearly made his eyes roll back in his head. It was a divine pleasure, like having the smoothest and strongest cognac swirling in his mouth. But, oh Merlin, it was so much better. Hermione's blood was like a drug to his hypersensitive palate.

Draco could truly _feel_ everything Hermione was feeling at that very moment and it only served to spike his blood pressure to a rate that would normally send one into cardiac arrest. Alas, his heart kept going strongly against her chest, heaving from pure bliss and indulgence. Extreme amounts of desire rolled off her curved body and into his; shocking him with the vast amount of emotion her that petite body could hold.

He felt her pulse weaken the slightest bit and tore his teeth out of her skin, alarmed that such a small amount of lost blood could cause her body to react negatively. Draco licked the tiny drops of blood that beaded at the surface of the bite mark, watching in mild awe as it sewed itself shut after a few moments. Realization hit him that not only would he have to take of Hermione's blood, but she of his.

"Hermione…" He urged her face to look at his and was slightly shocked to see a content smile on her face.

"I know." She whispered to him.

Draco saw the tiniest bit of uneasiness in Hermione's eyes and he made a rather rash decision of biting his own lip and offering up the blood that sprung to the surface and pooled there. It was amazing how quickly his veela blood clotted.

Her eyes darted from the red bead of blood on his lip to his eyes; a nervous look on her face. "Will it be easier for you this way?" he inquired while stroking her hair from the crown of her head to her waist in a soothing gesture.

She swallowed deeply and nodded before her lips were back on his. Her teeth nibbled at the already healing cut to get more blood from the small wound. The warmth of her saliva coated over his lip as she tentatively licked at the bite mark. A shaky exhale left his lungs as Hermione began to suck the life-liquid from the tiny cut. Her hands tightened in his hair when he began to kiss her as she shared his blood, a subtle reminder that she couldn't lose focus just yet.

A moan escaped his lips once her tongue met his and coaxed him into a passion filled kiss. They shared their minimal amount of oxygen before it felt as if their lungs would give out from overload of carbon dioxide buildup.

As the two calmed down and adjusted around each other (Draco pulled Hermione back into his lap so they could be closer), silence settled over them.

"Ah, hell." Draco murmured as his hands pushed her hair away from her neck so it rested on her other shoulder.

"What is it?" Hermione asked in alarm, thinking something was wrong. She reached for the mark her veela had given her only moments ago, and when her fingers connected with the flesh, an odd shiver shook her body, from every fingernail to her very soul. Apparently Draco felt it too because his eyes darkened from their previous lighter slate color to a pitch black color before she could blink.

He took a deep breath and shook his head to clear his mind of lustful thoughts that were now occupying over ¾ of his head. "I…" He didn't really know how to go about telling her this. Some girls got touchy about certain things like, say, scars. "I, uh, marked you a little higher than I meant to. It's kind of visible to everyone."

Hermione surprised him by laughing suddenly. "Is that it?" She looked at him incredulously.

"You can always use a glamour charm to hide it." Draco offered, still confused as to why she found the situation _funny_. If she were any other girl, she'd be flipping out and hitting him books or other heavy objects.

Her eyes flashed but for a different reason than he'd thought. "Why would I do that?" She challenged while tracing her fingers around the scar, making sure not to touch it directly because her reaction to it scared her a tiny bit.

"Because it's a scar of sorts? And you may want to hide it…?" The last one sounded a bit more like a question. He was unsure of why she was reacting so.

"No." Ah, there was the famous Hermione Granger stubbornness. "I want everyone to see it." She watched Draco frown and backtracked. "Not because I want them to think I conquered you or something, but because I want everyone to see I belong to you just as much as you belong to me."

A slow smile crept over his features. "You're something else, Hermione. But I love that about you."

oOoOo

A/N: That was my first real snogging scene. Was it alright? Please remember to leave me a review! It would be the perfect birthday gift, and they're free! Thanks for reading.


	14. Results

A/N: Ello all! Here's chapter 13! I hope you guys like it, and please remember to review!

A/N 2: Yeah, I have a lot of A/N's… Sorry about that… This chapter had a few song inspirations such as 'Grenade' by Bruno Mars. Just the chorus part, mind you. It's not really my normal type of music, but hey, it's catchy… My other song inspiration was 'Kiss of Life' by Friendly Fires as well as 'You Know I Tried' by Dri. I love Dri at the moment.

Thanks to: CS Copenhagen! Betas never get enough respect… So sad… And to my reviewers, many, MANY thanks. I haven't properly given you guys thanks in so long. I love you guys for being so sweet and patient with my sporadic updating. XOXO

Chapter dedicated to: SharpestSatire for being the most amazing reviewer ever. Thanks for making me laugh, hun!

oOoOo

**Chapter 13**

'**Results'**

The sun was just peeking over the hills when Hermione opened her eyes. Rays of orange, red, and faint periwinkle stretched across the canvas that was the sky.

She blinked quickly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her tense muscles loosened once she stood and stretched her arms above her head. A yawn slipped from her mouth as Hermione stumbled into the bathroom down the hall. She reached for her purple wash cloth and wetted it before putting a bit of soap on it. After a minute of rubbing her face clean and rinsing, she went on with brushing her teeth. The mint left her mouth fresh and the alcohol from the mouthwash gave a tingling aftertaste.

Hermione made her way back into her room and shed her sleep cloths, throwing them into the basket to be washed. Her hands trailed over her shirts and she chose a three quarter length white button up that hugged her frame a little closer than most of her shirts. She zipped up her knee length skirt and found a pair of dark socks to go with her black ballet-like flats. She proceeded to hunt through her drawer for her Gryffindor tie and found it hanging on her door knob.

'_That's odd…'_ She thought to herself as she put it around her neck and tied it loosely. Her robe was slung over her chair and grabbing it she threw the black, red, and gold clothing item on haphazardly. After snatching her heavy leather satchel, she exited her room.

A shock of blonde hair came into view when she entered the common area.

"Good morning." Hermione said, smiling as Draco stood and motioned for her to follow him.

"Good morning to you too. Did you sleep well?" He reached for her bag which she handed over with a shy smile.

Having a chivalrous boyfriend was something she was still getting used to. Even Harry and Ron hadn't offered to carry her things unless she had a broken arm or something. Being treated like a lady was a whole new experience. Of course, Hermione found no reason to object so she obliged to the tiny things Draco did for her.

"I suppose I did." He shot her a worried look and she merely rolled her eyes. "It's nothing food can't fix." He nodded and offered his hand to her. Hermione gladly took it and sighed softly when she felt Draco's warm fingers lace themselves between hers.

"Our potions project is due tomorrow."

Hermione nodded and gave him a quick grin. "Oh, I know what the last ingredient is." Her voice taunted him with an I-know-something-you-don't edge.

"Oh really now? Then what is it Professor Granger?" His blonde eyebrow was slightly cocked in a playful teasing way.

"Veela blood."

"You know, I just wrote that down when reading a file. I'm not sure if it's the last ingredient…" Draco's voice trailed off.

"Oh, I know. But I looked at the file with vampire blood, and it just _fits_. The composition is right, and it makes sense for it to be veela blood." Hermione walked with a bit of a bounce in her step. "It _has _to be right." She said, turning to him with her eyes alight with determination.

Draco chuckled and squeezed her hand to keep her from skipping off without him. "I'm sure you're right."

The huge wooden doors of the dining hall were open with students flowing in and out of it. Draco felt Hermione's pulse quicken and his eyes darted to hers. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She took a deep breath and stepped into the dining hall with Draco in tow.

"Right, nothing's wrong." There was a bit of a sarcastic bite to his voice that he couldn't get rid of despite the fact that he was talking to his Mate.

"I'm just worried about… people…" He nodded gravely.

"No one is going to hurt you like Parkinson did. _No one_. Don't worry what people will think." He gently ran his thumb over her knuckles and stepped forward with her.

oOo

The entire dining hall fell silent as the veela/mate couple walked at a slow pace down the main pathway.

Draco rolled his eyes at the dramatics of some of his classmates. There really wasn't a need to hyperventilate or scowl so hard wrinkles formed permanently in your skin. What made them so different than those stupid romance novels half the female student body indulged in? They were just two people who had rocky pasts with each other who learned to grow up. What was wrong with that? Sure, there was veela magic involved, but why was it _so _bloody unique that they had to stare outright.

She-Weasel stood and made her way towards them. Her actions set some on edge as they wondered what was going to happen. He could hear the individual murmurs of each person in the room. Some wanted her to hit him, others wanted him to confess his life-long crush for the redhead and say that the whole 'Hermione mate thing' was a sham.

Draco sniffed in disdain and held tight to his Mate's constricting hand. Her grip lessened once She-Weasel stopped in front of them.

"Hermione, Malfoy." They each nodded as the Weasley addressed them. "Would you sit with us?" He saw the look on the redhead's face and decided not to argue.

"Hermione will be more comfortable there." She muttered before grabbing his Mate's hand and dragging her off to sit next to Potter. Draco trudged after the two females and took a seat between She-Weasel and Hermione.

"Malfoy, could you pass me the eggs?" His eye must have twitched in reply when Weasley inquired, because Hermione reached a hand out to silently sooth him. Her eyes found his and he could feel the air of gratefulness about her. That made it all worth it to be subjected to sitting across from the notorious pig-like eater, Ronald Weasley.

"Of course. Just don't eat like a starving man; there are ladies in your presence." Potter snorted and She-Weasel gave her brother a sardonic smile.

"Ah, I wish the reprimands worked." Hermione shook her head as Draco put some food onto her plate. He gave her a silent pleading look that said 'you know you need it.' She gave a small sigh and thanks before grabbing a fork and eating in slow and meticulous bites.

His Mate's friends dug in, or in Weasley's case, shoveled in.

Things became awkward and quiet before She-Weasel cleared her throat and spoke. "So… Hermione told me about that project you two were working on. She said she found the answer." Draco was shocked that She-Weasel was addressing him and not Hermione. But at least she was making an effort to converse with the 'enemy'. At that moment a shred, no, a _speck_ of respect bloomed in him for She-Weasel.

"Yes… the project… I just found out about the cure earlier this morning." He shot a mock glare at Hermione and she smirked back at him.

"Yes, well, it only came to me last night."

She-Weasel let out a gasp. "You were lagging behind on a project! I never thought I would see the day when you're not finished a project a month ahead."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, well… I had other things occupying my time and thoughts." Her warm eyes slid to Draco's and small, nearly identical smiles bloomed on both of their faces.

"I can imagine." She-Weasel gave Hermione a knowing grin to which she ducked her head and blushed.

Weasley reached for a platter of toast near Hermione and their hands brushed against each other. Cobalt blue eyes darted up to _light grey_ ones. The redheaded male frowned and poked Hermione's shoulder experimentally.

…

Nothing.

"What gives?" Weasley looked from Hermione to Draco and back again. "I'm touching her… Doesn't that make you angry?"

"Only if it bothers Hermione… Or if you plan on taking it further…" Draco's voice drifted off at the end, adding a dangerous note to his seemingly innocent answer. His ice grey irises slid to Hermione's and he watched as she squirmed uncomfortably.

She-Weasel suddenly gasped and her brown eyes widened as she looked at Hermione as if it was the first time she'd seen her. He saw her mouth the words '_details, later_' excitedly. His Mate stared at her, confused as to what she wanted details about.

Draco sighed and ate his own meal while Hermione was left wondering what the heck Ginny wanted details about.

oOo

(The next day)

Draco set Hermione's satchel down next to his and took a seat on her left. He watched in mild amusement as she dug through her bag for a quill and her textbooks.

"Draco, do you have the potion?" She was frantically pulling out paper after paper to see if the small vial of wolfsbane was in her overflowing bag.

"Yes." Was his simple reply as he neatly stacked her papers and handed them back to her. Hermione shot him a nervous smile before she stuffed everything back into her worn leather satchel. "We'll do fine, you know."

Her anxiousness was affecting him so much that his hands were shaking almost as much as hers were. Of course it was normal for her to worry before a project, but this was beginning to be a bit ridiculous. The pure essence of _worrying_ was rolling off of her and Draco was surprised no one else could feel it.

"What if I got it wrong? What if it was dragon's blood or-or _flowers_!" Hermione's hysterical voice made several people look in their direction in curiosity. Her fingers drummed furiously on her desk and her foot was tapping on the ground as if she wanted to up and run from the room. Which she probably did, mind you, but never would because she cared too much about rules to skive off when people had already seen her in class.

Draco grasped tightly onto her hand to stop the obnoxious tune she had come up with. "Hermione, its right. Every little thing is perfect; all the dotted 'i's' and crossed 't's'." He brought her palm to his lips and kissed it softly. "Alright?" Hermione nodded slowly, like she was still uncertain. Draco sighed and pulled her chair closer to his before pushing a few of her curls out her face. "Everything is perfect. Think of all the people this potion will help!" Her brown eyes lit up and she nodded again, this time with more enthusiasm.

"You're right." Draco heard her heart racing faster and saw the grin that spread over her features. "Maybe even little Teddy will be able to use it." She smiled wider at her own words and he found himself unable to inquire whether or not his cousin actually needed the potion or not. He'd do anything to keep that same look on her face every day of her life.

A few other looks like lust and ecstasy wouldn't hurt either…

Draco grit his teeth and forced a smile onto his face so that she wouldn't worry about him like she always did.

Snape glided into the room waving his wand to close the door and guide a piece of chalk which wrote on the board by itself. The words were in an oddly delicate script scrawled all across the black writing surface. It read _'Project presentations today: Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom and Millicent Bulstrode, Lavender Brown and Blaise Zabini' _

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, you two can go first." Snape said as he took a seat at his high-backed, wooden chair. His elbows rested on his desk and pale, spider-like fingers folded as he looked at the two students with well hidden expectancy.

Draco squeezed her hand before letting it go and the two began to set up the wolfsbane potion and cauldron as well as a sterile, steel knife. Hermione handed in their project report to Snape who grabbed them out of her hands. That set Draco's teeth on edge. He looked down at the notes in front of him and tried to focus on them instead of getting himself worked up over his rude godfather. His Mate came back to his side and spoke in a clear yet shaky voice to the class. Her warm fingers found his and he could feel them trembling. It never ceased to amaze him that she was such an outspoken, strong person, yet she was afraid of speaking in front of large groups.

Draco soothed her knuckles with his thumb and felt her relax a bit.

"Our project is a potion that can help those with mental illnesses that occur during full moons. It's an altered version of wolfsbane with an additional ingredient that stabilizes the victim's blood."

Hermione regretfully pulled her hand from his and reached for the knife on her right. She drew Draco's opposite hand into her own one and her eyes looked up into his. It was unnerving to have to cut open your boyfriend.

Draco nodded in encouragement and Hermione made a precise incision on the topside of his arm. Red blood beaded to the surface of his pale skin and she deftly moved his arm over the cauldron before the important ingredient could drip onto the table. There was a distinct plopping sound as drop after drop oozed out of his skin and into the black, cast iron container. Hermione gently turned his arm over and took a small cloth and wiped the excess blood away. She softly stroked the cut before letting go of his arm so she could address the class again.

Before she could speak, someone cut in.

"Shouldn't you heal him?"

Hermione's eyes flashed back to Draco's arm and saw that all that was left was a faint, shiny-white scar. Scars like that could easily be gone in little over a week.

Draco held up his once marred arm and everyone gasped at the sight of it, save for Snape who just motioned for them to go on. "I heal quickly."

Weasley snorted but Draco paid no mind to him.

Many people murmured to each other before their black haired professor glared at them to shut up. A sense of wonderment was in every person's eyes as they looked at their Head Boy. Veelas weren't all that common to see anymore. Fleur Delacour had been the last one to grace the school.

"We found that the last ingredient is veela blood." Draco took over speaking when he got an approving nod from Hermione. "A man had tried to make the potion with vampire blood. Vampire's blood composition is closely related to those of a veela."

"So you're sucking Granger's blood instead of those great looking lips of hers." A boy drawled with a smirk contorting his entire face.

"Take that back!" Weasley looked ready to stand up and join in, but Potter was holding him down. The two of them had angry looks on their faces. Potter seemed to be simmering in silence while the redhead was ready to explode like a volcano.

Draco, himself, wanted to go after the sick little freak taunting him. He was trying so damn hard not to react negatively and let his veela nature overrule him. While that side of him was made to protect his Mate, it caused many problems - violent, problematic problems. "Shut up Olsen."

But his Slytherin housemate went on.

"I wouldn't spend that much time on her blood. You see, I have a thing for that perfect rack of hers." The boy's uneven teeth shown as his smirk grew into a maniacal grin. Draco felt the embarrassment radiating from Hermione and wanted nothing more than to go after the kid and shut him the _hell_ up. "I can just imagine my name on her lips. Merlin, that would be _sweet_! And those legs wrapped around me." Olsen shuddered in lust and his eyes crept over _his_ Mate's body.

A snarl grew deep within Draco's chest a ripped from his bared teeth. The thought of Hermione under this boy/nasty thing made him ill. The thought of her perfect, pink lips uttering someone else's name in rapture made his blood boil. But the thing that bothered him the most was the thought of this sad excuse for a man touching her in sacred places where he longed to touch. Only _his_ hands should worship her perfect curves. _No one else's_. Even with her blood running through his veins, tamping down on some of his basest desires, he still reacted. Draco felt helpless to the instincts that ruled a greater part of his brain.

Everything in his mind was red. So… red. Snarls grew deep inside of him and he couldn't stop them from forming. He wanted so badly to respond like a normal person would. Normal people didn't _growl_ when their girlfriends were mocked and turned into nothing more than sexual objects. No, they threw punches. But Draco wanted so much more than punches… He wanted Olsen to be off the face of the earth for degrading his Mate. Her body exuded discomfort and he wanted to fix it. He wanted to patch up the off-kilter feelings she was having and never have to worry about the slimy git again.

"Oh, that thought bothers you, doesn't it?" The boy laughed and eyed Hermione as if she was some sort of prize for his sorry arse. "I'd love to know what she feels like. She's probably easy enough to get into bed."

Another wave of humiliation rolled from his Mate. Faint hints of anger licked at the edges of her emotions which only fueled his own rage. Draco finally lurched out of Hermione's grasp and had Olsen shoved up against the stone wall before anyone could blink. His head smacked violently against the hard surface behind him. Draco could hear the near silent groan that escaped the boy's mouth. His arm was braced against Olsen's collarbone, slipping closer to his scrawny neck. "Not another _word_ from you, Olsen."

Olsen flinched away from Draco with an indignant fire in his eyes. "I'd love to feel you up, Granger." Draco shoved his arm upward and Olsen's airway was instantly blocked. His eyes bulged out of his head and his hand flew to Draco's arm as he tried desperately to free himself. A blue tinge started to seep into his already sallow complexion. His nails had no affect on Draco's skin, they simply felt like feathers tickling at his arm. He wanted so desperately to feel the life slip out of his body… he wanted to feel the ice of death slip into Olsen's veins before he let go.

The veela inside of Draco was laughing manically, its eyes cast on Olsen's chest. His breathes were slowing and Draco felt a deep, hot satisfaction inside of himself.

"Draco!" Hermione was at his side as soon as Olsen's eyelids fell shut. "Draco, you're strangling him!"

"I don't bloody well care!" He ground out while gritting his teeth.

"Draco, stop." Hermione's hand rested high on his arm and trailed down his bicep, his forearm, and then to his clenched fist. Her soft fingers caressed his until his hand loosened enough so she could intertwine their hands together. "Please stop." Her voice was low and persuasive; a weapon meant to break him down so all he could do was obey her every command. Hermione stood on her toes and whispered in his ear so that her warm breath made him shiver. "Let him go."

Draco's grip loosened and Olsen's body crumpled to the ground.

Hermione leaned down and reached out a hand to check his pulse. The color of his lips was a rather disconcerting shade of a just forming bruise.

A hand snapped out and, with a groping touch, grabbed at her chest. The hand seized her neck and tried to pull her closer so she'd fall on top of him. Meaty fingers closed her windpipe and made her breath wheezy. Hermione gasped and wrenched from Olsen's grasp, stumbling back into Draco.

"Told you I'd feel you up, Granger. Quite nice too. Very soft and supple." Olsen's mud colored eyes slid to Draco's. "And by the look on _his_ face, he hasn't gotten to touch you like that." He sneered at Draco before leaning his head back on the rock behind him

A howl rumbled deep in his throat and Draco wrapped arms around Hermione from behind. Her breathes were quick and her eyes were wide open in shock. No one had ever… And he just reached out and… She hadn't been able to _breathe._

A shiver tore through her body and Draco held her tighter to him. "It's okay. I've got you now." He nuzzled her hair and laid kisses there in a soothing gesture. Hermione turned and molded herself into his grasp. She took deep breathes and Draco sighed and rested his chin on top of her head. He felt much better now that she was in _his_ arms and not near Olsen. His own pulse was slowing down due to the adrenaline seeping from his body. Draco breathed in her scent and let it fight off the desire to truly get rid of his perverted housemate. Apples and cinnamon assaulted his olfactory sense and went straight to his brain; soothing and calming him more than anything in the world. Coolness slipped into his veins and replaced the insistent, burning feeling that rage had left behind.

Hermione pulled back and gave Draco a shaky smile. "Thank you." He nodded and stroked her hair one last time before he regretfully stepped away.

Hermione looked up and saw that every pair of eyes in the room were trained on her. (Except for Olsen's. He seemed to be unconscious.) The girls had odd looks that were a mixture of jealousy, contempt, and longing. They all wanted to be in Draco Malfoy's arms like she had been a moment ago. The Gryffindor boys looked ready to pummel the body of the vile, assaulting creature at her feet. The Slytherin's held a look of disinterest except for Blaise who was looking at her with genuine worry.

"'Mione!" Weasley barreled past the group of people that had surrounded them. Potter followed after him and they stood before their best friend. "You alright?"

Hermione nodded and looked back to lock eyes with Draco. He tried to crack a grim smile, but it came out as a grimace.

The after-effects of his momentary anger filled high was taxing on his nerves. It felt as if someone was twisting his muscles. Oddly enough, the pain was similar to the feeling he got after a rigorous Quidditch match or exercise of any kind. He felt jumpy and overrun by his emotions. Damn, was he tired…

"Everyone take a seat." Snape jumped in before everyone could go mad asking questions or beating up the body of the already dead-to-the-world Olsen.

Students filed into their seats grumblingly.

Snape pointed his wand at Olsen. "_Ennerverate._" The boy's eyes flew open. The professor reached down and pulled Olsen to his feet without any caution or caring. Beetle-black eyes slid over the rows of students before they settled on two boys.

"Potter, Weasley, how would you like to escort this _boy_," His mouth formed the word 'boy' and made it sound like 'monster', "to Dumbledore's?"

The two nodded eagerly while grabbing their bags and books. The fire of justice was burning bright in their eyes as they both grabbed one of Olsen's arms. "Make sure he doesn't make any… detours…" With that, he shoved his student towards the wolves… boys… Olsen looked back at him with begging eyes but Snape gave him a cold sneer.

"Longbottom, Bulstrode, you're up."

oOo

Draco sat down in his chair in front of the fire with a book in his lap. Hermione was off doing something with Potter and Weasley. The two males had deemed it 'Gryffindor friends' time' and all but shoved him away. Hermione, of course, had offered to let him come with them. He'd just kissed her and let her go off with her friends to do whatever it was that Gryffindor's do for fun.

He needed time to think without her scent or being interrupting him.

Draco was worried by his violent outburst earlier. It, Merlin help him, scared him to feel such bloodlust. It was like some power or-or _curse_ had been bestowed upon him and he had no idea how to channel it. It was fantastically horrifying to have heightened senses and strength. He felt like one of those superheroes Hermione had told him about. But that was just it, this power was for _Hermione_. It was so no harm could ever come to a single curl on top of her head. But dammit, it was effing terrifying to be able to snap someone's neck under his fingers if they so much as looked at her the wrong way. Sure, Draco wouldn't trade Hermione for anyone in the entire universe, but she just caused people to feel things that put the both of them in danger. Boys lusted after her, and his veela mind couldn't deal with that. Girls wanted to shove her off buildings, and he could end up killing them.

Draco shuddered, his every achy muscle coiled tightly.

There was a knock at the portrait door and Draco jumped straight out of his chair. His eyes darted around and he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to look cool, calm, and collected. He pasted a detached look onto his face and opened the door. "Weasley." He said without much surprise as he took in the image of She-Weasel clutching a stack of what looked to be magazines to her chest. What an odd sense of déjà vu this was…

"Malfoy." She bobbed her head once and looked over his shoulder. "I know Hermione's with Ron and Harry right now. Is she due back soon?"

Draco looked to the large clock in the corner of the room and nodded. "She should be here in five minutes." She-Weasel didn't budge so he sighed and opened the portrait door wider. The redhead entered _his_ common room and began reading a magazine as if she was in a waiting room. Merlin, he needed to _think_. She was invading his space… Draco took in deep, gasping breathes. _'Hermione loves her…'_ It became his mantra as he took a seat on the couch and reached for his book with a red ribbon as a marker in it.

"Malfoy, before Hermione gets here I want to talk to you about something." His head shot up from his book and his eyes met a pair of large, brown ones.

"And what is that?" He inquired while keeping his book in his hands as a sort of leverage; a tool to grip onto if things got tense.

"Hermione… She's not _experienced_." Draco frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but She-Weasel cut him off. "I know she's your Mate and you have to mate her to live, but were you at least gentle with her? Hermione is the kind of person who would never tell you if you hurt her. She's so selfless that she'd just let you hurt her if you needed to because of some… _ritual_."

"She-Weasel-."

"Ginny." She corrected. "You have your reputation, if you will. Trust me I've heard _plenty _about you from Lavender and Parvati, too much in fact." _Ginny_ scrunched her nose and twiddled with the edge of one of her magazines. "I swear to you Malfoy, if you hurt her in any way, I _will_ not hesitate to make it so you can never reproduce." Her brown eyes flashed with uncontained vengeance. Draco simply let his eyebrow raise at that and muttered something along the lines of 'we can't have that, now can we?'

"Ginny," The name was very odd sounding on his lips, "Hermione and I haven't _slept_ together." Slept together was a rather loose term, in Draco's mind. He'd slept next to her in the medical ward, but he had yet to consummate with his Mate. He had yet to truly _feel_ her body against his, without the confines of clothes. He was beginning to hate clothes. He'd love to see her in nothing more than his shirt. That would suffice perfectly.

Draco internally groaned and took more deep breathes so he could tap into his low reserves of self control. _'No thinking of Hermione that way… It's not allowed yet...'_ He repeated over and over again.

"Oh…" She looked confused for a moment before she went jabbering on. "Well, then why were you okay with Ron touching her? That bugged you a week ago."

"Yes… Well… I think it's up to Hermione if she wants to tell you why."

As if she'd been waiting for the right time to come in, Hermione entered the Head's room lugging her satchel on her shoulder while wearing a content but tired smile on her face. Her warm eyes widened when she saw Ginny sitting next to him. "Ginny! I'm sorry I'm late." She set her bag down and sat down next to Draco with an exhausted sigh. Her hand immediately searched for his and their fingers twined together in a comfortable clasp.

"It's alright." Ginny stood and all but shoved Hermione into her room.

There were distinct shuffling noises and Draco could hear his Mate's cloak being removed. He took a huge inhale and could smell her scent wafting out from under her door. Warmth oozed into him and Draco closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the edge of his reclaimed chair.

"Hermione… I was talking to Malfoy about how he didn't react to Ron touching you earlier… I was wondering why that is."

Someone without his heightened hearing wouldn't have been able to hear them, but to him their conversation was as clear as day.

"We...uh marked." Draco could feel her slight awkwardness and weariness.

"Oh." Things were silent for a few moments before She-Weasel launched back into conversation. "I thought veelas and mates couldn't do that without _consummation_." She mouthed the word 'consummation' and made it sound so technical.

"They can." Draco could literally see Hermione gnawing away at her lower lip with those perfect teeth of hers.

"Well that's good I guess." Silence fell again and he was starting to wonder what the heck they were doing in there, being that they were so quiet. "Herms, what's worrying you?" He was impressed that Ginny could tell that Hermione was worried. She would be difficult to read if it weren't for their bond.

"I-You heard about earlier, didn't you?" Hermione questioned and Draco heard Ginny's murmur 'yes'. "It scared me to see him like that."

Draco's heart fell into his lap and bled slowly. Gods… He'd _scared_ her. He suddenly felt so helpless as to what to do. No wonder she'd been distant towards him when they walked out of Potions earlier. It made sense.

"I _felt_ how he felt and Ginny, he was scared too. I-I don't know what to do for him." Hysteria was settling into her voice and Draco heard Ginny hushing Hermione and imagined that the two were probably embracing now. "I thought that marking would be enough for a while, but now I'm not so sure. I can't stand for him to go through such turmoil."

Draco sniffed the air and smelled the faint scent of salty tears. Gods… He was powerless to do _anything_. She was feeling this way because of him. The veela inside of him was thrashing and throwing a self-abuse tantrum that rivaled those of house elves. She was his Mate and he was supposed to make her feel safe and content. But he was doing the exact opposite of that now. He was making her cry… again. She felt effing _fear_ because of him.

Dammit, everything was so messed up!

"Herms… You know that he wouldn't make you do anything you didn't want to. It's not in his nature… And besides, he loves you."

"I know." There were sniffles and Draco wanted so badly to be the one to comfort her, but part of him knew she needed to talk to Ginny. "It's just so hard… I don't know how to make this easier for him. I would gladly give myself to him if he needed it. I don't know what to do to alleviate some of what he's feeling."

"'Mione…" Hermione's redheaded friend sounded so torn over what to say. After all, what did she know about veela/mate relationships? "Don't do it if you'll regret it later." Draco couldn't agree with her more. There was no way in hell he was going to let her give away her virginity to ease his raging emotions. No way.

"What's with the magazines?" Hermione asked and Draco could hear more clattering going on inside her room.

"Ah… nothing. They're useless now. No matter… Where's your chocolate at?" There was more shuffling before all sound ceased and the saccharine scent of chocolate filled the air. "Nail varnish?" When the wet, sour scent of nail varnish hit the air, Draco crinkled his nose. Gads that was unpleasant.

"You need to talk to Draco about this." Ginny urged and, once again, Draco found himself agreeing with her. "You have no need to worry about the actual… act, if you will. Like I said, he loves you and you're his Mate. He'll take care of you." The redhead's faith in him with her best friend was staggering. But Draco was grateful for Ginny being there to reassure Hermione in a way that only a fellow female could. "I'm sure he'll do better than taking care of you, in fact." There was a sly edge to She-Weasel's voice.

And there it was again, Draco agreed with Ginny _again_. He'd 'take care of' his Mate for sure. He'd finally have her screaming his name…

Draco shivered and mentally smacked himself back into eavesdropping.

There was the sound of tiny glass bottles clanging against each other and of caps being closed. "There you go, Herms. It's a pretty color on you." From the shadow cast under the door, someone stood up. "Now, I have a date with Harry. I want you to go out there and talk to Draco. Work something out. Remember, the most important thing is that you're comfortable."

"Thanks, Gin." There were soft sighs and the sounds of clothes rubbing against each other, like when two people hugged.

"You're welcome. Just remember why you were put into Gryffindor."

Hermione's door opened and Draco's eyes snapped down to the book in his lap as he pretended to be preoccupied. Only when Ginny's bag 'accidentally' hit him did he look up. The redhead was sending him a look that clearly said "don't mess up or else my threat will be followed through with." And she left.

Draco could hear Hermione's feet pacing from inside her bedroom but decided to let her approach him first. He didn't really want her to know he was snooping on her conversation. He instead tried to focus on the book in his lap. After a few sentences, the words blurred together and he blinked in an attempt to clear his vision.

Nada.

The door creaked open wider and Hermione exited, clad in a soft looking cream robe and her hair down unlike it had been earlier. His eyes were drawn to her softly tanned legs and the muted apricot color of her toenails. It certainly was a pretty color on her.

"Draco… Can I talk to you about something?" He already knew exactly what she wanted to talk about, but for her sake he played dumb. She was wringing her hands and twisting the rings on her fingers like she always did. Her lip was a bright pink shade from her teeth having attacked it when she was conversing with Ginny.

"Of course." He stood from the chair and sat on the couch, motioning for her to join him. She sat on the edge with her legs crossed, looking like she didn't want to be there at all. That pained him greatly, but he didn't let it show lest she grow more worried about him. He reached out and laid his hands on her shoulders and felt her tense under his touch.

A small part of him died then. Was he losing her?

"It's about the consummation part of our… relationship." Her eyes refused to meet his so he pulled her backwards into him so he was staring at her back. Draco's hands gently massaged the unbelievably rigid and taut muscles of her shoulders.

"Yes?" He inquired softly, letting her set the pace of the conversation so she would be more comfortable.

"It isn't… _hurting_ you to wait is it?" He could feel her worry and he tried to sooth it with his hands.

"No, Hermione it really isn't." Draco assured her. His thumb found an especially tender spot and he let it work in circles until he heard her hum in the back of her throat. His hands then moved lower to her back where the muscles were just as tight as her shoulders. Merlin, all her worrying about him was making her body suffer.

"Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?" She finally turned around and her sincere cinnamon eyes made his brain go momentarily blank.

"Anything you can do to make it easier for me." He echoed dumbly before snapping back into reality. "Hermione, really, the best thing you can do for me is just let me be around you." Draco leaned towards her and laid a kiss on her temple. He breathed in her scent that was now infused with chocolate and some sort of Muggle hand lotion scented like warm apple pie. Gods… so edible...

"Would you like to sleep with me, then?" He frowned and she stuttered and scrambled to rephrase what she'd said. "I mean, like just sleep in the same bed. Maybe being closer to me would make things better for you." Draco swore he heard underlying hope in her voice and smiled softly.

"If that's alright with you." She nodded and tipped her head in an obvious invitation.

Draco kissed her softly, letting his fingers trail from her back, over her shoulders and to her hands where he toyed with her soft skin. His tongue tasted her lips but he didn't go any further due to the awkward position she was in. He found no need to put more strain on that thin neck of hers.

Hermione stood with one of his hands in hers and tugged him behind her and into her purple and red room. She removed her robe and threw it on top of her chair in the corner of her room. His mouth hung open mutely as he took in the sight of her long legs clad in only a pair of grey short shorts. A small portion of her flat stomach peeked from under her long sleeved olive green shirt. Draco swallowed thickly and tugged his shirt over his head but left his cotton lounge pants on instead of sleeping in his boxers like he normally did.

Hermione slid under her purple covers and patted the place next to her. Draco eased himself under the blankets and felt her move closer to him. Her warm body curled against his like a cat's would and Draco cradled her in his arms. Her scent attacked him from all corners and drowned him under waves of _her_. It was one of the most calming sensations he'd ever felt to feel her breath even out and her soft body so close to him.

"I love you." He murmured before finally letting himself drift away into dreamland with her.

oOoOo

A/N: This chapter was not a favorite of mine… I feel like my writing skills momentarily reverted back to that of a 3rd grader… But it was meant to show how Draco's emotions are getting more and more out of his control. The next five or seven chapters should wrap it up. Each of them are going to be about a holiday leading up to Draco's birthday. I may change that, but I think that's how things will be going from here on out. Please leave a review!


	15. Halloween

A/N: I realized that I'm sick of Halloween balls… I wanted something new for this holiday. I hope you guys like it, because I do. Different is refreshing. Song inspiration is 'Meet Me Out' by Dri and 'Die Tonight, Live Forever' by InnerPartySystem. They're actually from around me which is awesome and their music is fun. Sorry this wasn't out by Halloween. Make sure to read the author's note at the end.

Chapter dedicated to: leakingpenholder! Your words were so sweet and made my day. So, thanks. Compliments also go to CS Copenhagen for being my beta.

oOoOo

**Chapter 14**

'**Halloween'**

Hermione shivered as an October chill came in through her window. Before she could take another breath, Draco flipped her over him, so that she was on the opposite side from her window. His arms held her tightly to him and she burrowed deeper into his warm embrace. His scent of cardamom and Satsuma filled her nose as she took a deep, relaxing inhalation. A content hum formed in her throat as her body molded to his. Draco's hand softly stroked her back, his fingers dancing up her spine until they knotted themselves into her hair. Hermione hid her face in his neck and let her own hands play with his baby soft blonde locks.

She heard a rumbling moan in his chest and found herself comforted by it. It showed her that she had some form of power over him. She wouldn't exploit it, mind you, but it was just _nice._

His nose nuzzled her hair and she felt his hot breath on her throat. "G'morning, love." His voice was deep and thick from sleep, even more alluring than usual. She murmured a good morning back and felt herself grow warmer, as Draco began to leave kisses on her skin.

While they had silently agreed to wait for a while for consummation, Hermione found herself unable to deny his touch. He was still considerate towards her and never took things too far, but she could feel the heated intent under every caress and kiss. She could see it in his eyes, for the darkening grey was always a dead giveaway. Draco never made her feel uncomfortable with his advances, rather he let her experience what it was like to be truly cherished. It took some strong will on his part to not just take her and Hermione was beyond grateful for his understanding. Besides that, since their silent pact, Draco had seemed to be getting better. He was calmer, and, in turn, so was she. It was a win-win situation.

"How does breakfast in bed sound?" He inquired while finally lifting his head so she could see his mussed hair and sleepy looking light grey eyes. They regarded her with a tender look that stole her breath for a moment.

"Fantastic." Draco made a move to get up but she tugged him back down. "Not yet. I wanna sleep more." She felt his chuckle under her ear, from her new position lying on his chest.

"Alright." He conceded, as his body moved to accommodate her on top of him. He gently tucked her head under his chin and his hands were splayed across her back in a contended yet intimate gesture. Hermione felt his thumb sneak under the bottom hem of her shirt so he could rub the warm skin there. Soft kisses were pressed into her hair and his other hand moved up to blindly stroke her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed as she drank in the peaceful aura that surrounded them. Every swipe of his fingers sent small, warm tingles through her body. She felt his breath rustling her hair and shivered. Draco's hand suddenly moved higher until his fingers were under her bra strap. His nails scraped gently at her skin and a small moan left her lips.

Draco suddenly stopped and Hermione propped her chin on him and saw that his eyes were closed in contentment. A subtle smile was on his face and she found that she couldn't remove her gaze from him. One of her hands dislodged itself from in-between their bodies to reach up and touch the corner of his lips. His eyes opened languorously and silver orbs peered into her own brown ones. "Yes?" She merely shook her head and scooted upwards so her lips could meet his. Hermione let her tongue softly trace the nearly invisible mark she had left on him. She had found some time ago that he was especially sensitive there, just as she was with her mark. Even the slightest touch to the scar would make her shiver in delight.

Draco kissed her thoroughly; making sure every one of her little 'tick spots' as he called them were caressed by his tongue. He had her melting into him by the time he pulled away. She made a small sound of protest and met his gaze. His eyes were dark, fathomless pools of lust. He took deep, ragged breathes and trailed a hand up the curve of her spine so it could fist in her hair. Her head was tilted to the side so his lips could mercilessly attack her neck. The wetness of his tongue coated over her mark and she let out a strangled, breathless whimper. Her own hand made its way to knot into his hair so she could pull his mouth back to hers.

There was the familiar sound of their protesting portrait that made them pull away. Draco groaned and Hermione pushed herself off of him to see who was bothering them so early in the morning.

Hermione quickly grabbed her robe and slipped into it before she opened the portrait door to see an exhausted looking Harry standing there.

"Harry? What's wrong? Are you alright?" She fired off questions and motioned for him to come in. He refused and rocked on his feet.

"Your hair looks like…" He trailed off while shaking his head as if to clear it of insomnia. "Ginny wanted to know if you want to go to Hogsmeade later."

"And you're here asking me that this early because…?"

"I lost a bet." He mumbled while rubbing his green eyes with the heel of his palm.

"Oh?" A bemused eyebrow rose on her face, before she could stop it.

"Yeah… So do you?" There was a shuffling noise behind her and Harry's eyes widened. Hermione turned around and saw a shirtless Draco coming up behind her.

"Draco can come along, right?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course. I asked you, implying both of you. Cuz one of you means both of you cuz there's two of you."

Hermione frowned at his confusing words. "I think you should go get some more sleep, Harry." She put a hand on his shoulder and turned him in the other direction. He stumbled a bit before heading toward the Gryffindor common room.

Edalton sighed gleefully once they closed the door again and Draco and Hermione looked at each other with matching expressions of irritation and humor intermingled. "Does that breakfast sound good now?" Draco questioned.

"Sure." Hermione answered while making a move for the kitchen. Draco's hand caught her wrist and he swiveled her around so they were facing each other.

"Ah, ah, ah." She had the distinct impression that he wanted to waggle a finger at her, "I said breakfast in _bed_. Go crawl back under those covers, love."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "You pamper me too much." Merlin, did she appreciate the indulgences he bestowed upon her. She loved every time he carried her bag, gave her chocolate (he knew his way to her heart), and cooked her meals, so they could avoid prying eyes. Sometimes he'd let Ginny and Harry join them and even Ron on occasions. She had this growing suspicion that he didn't hate her friends' company as much as he led on.

"You'll just have to get used to it." He shot her a grin and let go of her hand so he could make their breakfast.

Hermione acquiesced to his wishes and slid back into her now cool bed and curled into her pillows.

Draco's essence clung to her bed sheets and it was odd how easily his scent could lull her into sleep.

oOo

Sweet milk… bacon… eggs, sunny side up with the right amount of pepper on it, and French toast with cinnamon… There was the sound of sizzling meat and cracking eggs in the background that made her feel like a child again. Her mother had always had a thing for huge breakfasts and as a kid, it had been her favorite meal. Now it sounded just like home with the banging of pots and pans and drinks being poured.

Hermione's mouth watered as she took in the aroma of breakfast with closed eyes. Her hands fisted in her sheets as she waited for Draco to bring her food in. He seemed to like dragging out her anticipation for his amazing cooking by taking his sweet time preparing it all. The wait had been well worth it on many occasions, though.

"Well I brought-." Draco stopped once he saw her somewhat tangled hair and bleary, sleepy eyes. "Good morning to you… Again." His teasing made her give him a small responsorial smile. "Here are all your favorites." He handed her a plate full of French toast – he drizzled liquefied Honeyduke's on it – and other various breakfast tidbits.

"Thank you so much." She said as she swiped at the chocolate with her finger and proceeded to spoil herself with his amazing catering skills. He chuckled and went to grab his own plate and their drinks.

Draco sat next to her with his right leg crossed under his body. He graciously gave her a mug filled with hot chocolate with a tiny amount of sea salt and coffee in it; just the way she liked it. She took a sip and hummed lightly at the amazing warmth the creamy drink granted her. "You have to be some sort of cooking god." He merely shook his head in amusement and tucked in to his own meal. "Seriously, where _did_ you learn to cook like this?"

"We have a house elf named Teala. She's my mother's favorite because she can cook up a storm. When I had was over this past summer, she decided to teach me all she knew." Draco shook his head at the humorous memory of a house elf with actual wit and bossiness that would rival his Mate. "I guess I was a decent enough student." Hermione nodded furiously and he gave her a satisfied looking smile. "Do you know where we're going for our Hogsmeade trip?"

"I have no idea. Knowing Ginny, it'll be somewhere where she can sneak off with Harry without Ron noticing. Ron will go somewhere where there's sugar or pranks. Maybe his brothers' store or Honeyduke's. I usually just look at books or something." She looked at him sheepishly and Draco gave her a surprisingly tolerant smile.

"Whatever you want to do is fine."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What do _you_ want to do?" She would have none of that only-please-mate stuff from him. Sure, his selflessness when it came to her was endearing and comforting, but she wanted him to be a bit selfish. Everyone deserved to be selfish every once in a while.

"I think She-Weasel has a pretty good idea with sneaking off." His eyebrow waggled suggestively and Hermione blushed.

"I wouldn't mind getting away. Halloween is the worst time to be out and about." She wrinkled her nose as she remembered the various scary pranks Ron and the twins had played on her through the years. The one where they dressed up as Death Eaters has permanently scarred her. Of course, they had thought her reaction was hilarious, but she had been a moment away from hexing them into the next millennia.

A muffled voice screamed her name and Hermione jumped up in shock, spilling a bit of the contents from her mug onto her long-sleeved baby blue shirt. A slight curse came out of her mouth as she reached for a clean shirt in a drawer next to her bed. Her thumbs worked under the hemline and she flung it over her head as she walked out of the room, leaving an open-mouthed Draco behind her.

Hermione slipped the new dark purple t-shirt onto her body and opened the portrait door with a grumble.

"Hermione!" Her female redheaded friend welcomed herself in. "Something smells amazing!" Hermione nodded and showed Ginny towards the kitchen knowing that Draco had made more than enough food. "Who in the world made this?" She questioned while eyeing the vast array of breakfast foods with wide eyes.

"Draco did." Hermione grinned, "He's a cooking god." Ginny was looking at her in question and she motioned for her friend to take anything she wanted. The younger girl reached for a piece of French toast with raspberry and chocolate and moaned as she took a bite.

"Merlin, he _is _a cooking god!" Hermione nodded her agreement.

"Now… What exactly are you doing here?"

Ginny blushed at her forgetfulness. "I was wondering if you and Draco wanted to go dancing. Harry and I were going to dress up. Ron's bringing… whoever…" She shrugged before that famous devious Weasley smile lit up her face. "Oh! I know the perfect costume for you to wear. Draco will _die_ when he sees you in it!" The redhead was practically jumping up and down in excitement.

"Gin… I don't know… Draco and I were just planning on… being around, I guess." Hermione said before adding, "_Without_ crazy costumes." She waited for the onslaught of whining and begging, but none came. She looked up from her fixed gaze on the floor and saw a slight smile on her friend's face.

"So… has there been any," Ginny struggled for the right word, "improvement? Because if you two are sneaking off, I can only imagine the things you two could get into."

Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. "Nothing more than snogging."

"Good snogging?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and felt her face heat up as she realized that Draco could most likely hear everything she was saying. He was too much of a gentleman (it _still_ felt odd calling him something other than git) to bring up his overheard conversations or her thoughtless muttering. But still, it was different to have to worry about what she said because of the risk of someone overhearing. It was even worse when it was your boyfriend, though. And it all became a disaster when you had a nosy little perverted friend who wanted _details_ on _intimate_ topics.

"Great snogging." Hermione confirmed, while pressing a hand to her face in an attempt to cool down.

Her friend gave a girlish giggle before she went completely serious. "You're comfortable, right?" Hermione nodded and aimed a soft smile at her caring friend. "That's good. Now, I want to know if he really lives up to the rumors. Promise you'll tell me?"

The heat turned to flames and a gasp escaped her lips when she felt someone come up behind her.

"I could feel your embarrassment from the other side of the world, I swear." Draco whispered into her ear, causing Hermione to shiver a little. Ginny was still smirking, but she had enough modesty to at least blush. He spoke louder. "Anything she tells you is up to her. I won't be saying a single thing to anyone." Hermione could tell that his words were double-edged in meaning – he would let her be the one to kiss and tell.

"It's not like you past escapades are kept quiet." Ginny murmured, while watching the silent, comfortable interaction between her friend and her veela. Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist from behind and she in turn melted into his body. His chin rested on top of her head and Ginny could literally see the red color seep from Hermione's face as she relaxed into her kind of-lover's arms. They really were a perfect fit. She just wondered how she hadn't noticed their obvious perfectness earlier.

"Meaningless trifles. Hermione's too precious to share with anyone." Draco nuzzled her hair and Ginny could see the distinct darkening in his eyes and decided it was time to leave. Even if she had questioned Hermione about their relationship, she didn't really want to witness the 'great snogging' with her own eyes.

"I'll see you later. Remember we'll meet up at the Three Broomsticks." She cast her friend one last look. "And Hermione, wear the dark purple dress." She disappeared into the hallways.

oOo

Hermione stumbled around her room looking for her only strapless bra. She was taking Ginny's clothing advice to heart because, honestly, the dress did look pretty good on her. The only problem was that it was off the shoulder and a regular strappy bra wasn't cutting it.

So now she was on her hands and knees searching for the darn lacy item she needed. Her knee caught on the draw-string of her robe and pulled it loose. With a grumble, she reached under her bed and something sharp dug into her skin causing her to squeal in shock and pull her hand away. There was now a rather large gash in her palm that was oozing blood. It looked almost exactly like when she had gotten glass in her hand, but less messy. Hermione whipped her head around, looking for her wand to heal the cut and groaned when she remembered she'd left it in the common area. She muttered a curse under her breath.

When she stood her foot got stuck on something and it snapped. Hermione looked down and saw it was exactly what she had been looking for; her black strapless bra.

Which was now ripped.

Hermione groaned aloud and reached down to pick it up when her door opened.

Her gaze snapped up and Draco was standing in her doorway with wide, darkening eyes. She frowned, wondering what in the world was causing him anger or lust at a time like this. She looked down and saw that her robe had fallen open completely. She silently thanked Merlin that she had put on a pair of boy cut underwear before going on the perusal of her bra before she hastily reached for the ties and secured them tightly. Her red blood was now smothering onto the light colored fabric. Hermione swallowed and felt her face heat up to a fever-like temperature. "Sorry." She said finally, her voice cracking.

Draco cleared his throat several times before he could even begin to feel words come to his mouth. "No… I should've knocked." His eyes followed the flush of red from the top of her head, over her cheeks, down her neck and collarbone, and then settled where the curve of her bosom began. His mouth went dry and he had to swallow a few times before he let his eyes go back to try to meet hers. Her gaze was glued to the floor and he felt shame coming off of her.

Shame, why shame?

The clean sound of something cutting through the air caught his attention and he saw blood running from her palm, down her fingers until it accumulated at the tips and fell to the ground with wet plops. How had he not noticed that before? Now that he started breathing again, the metallic yet sweet scent of her blood was heavy in the air.

"Come here." Hermione's eyes darted to his with speed that rivaled a scared rabbit.

Draco put his hands out in a show of both caution and the fact that he wouldn't hurt her. She was staring at him with wide eyes but she still moved closer. He berated himself for staring at her so blatantly when she hadn't even known she was half naked. He felt as if he had exploited her.

He pulled his wand out of his pocket and cast a simple healing spell, then another spell to clean off her carpet and once white robe. His hands found a handkerchief in another one of his pockets and he used it to dab away her blood. Once it was all gone, he put her hand to his lips and kissed it. He could literally taste her blood from how strong the scent was. It didn't hold the same potency as it had before he'd marked her, but it was still alluring to him. It was more like a perfume that only attracted him now.

Hermione gently retracted her hand from his grasp and pushed past him. As she moved, a flash of her breast was shown to him and suddenly there were stars dancing above his head. Before she could moved any further, he caught her around the waist and pulled her flush against him.

And kissed her.

It was hot, it was insistent, it was demanding… and it felt like rape because she was standing unmoving from shock that he would force himself onto her. He tried to pull away but his mind and lips weren't agreeing with each other. His tongue plundered while his mind screamed at him to stop. When Hermione's nails dug into his skin he finally had the will to yank himself away. Draco sent her a panicked look. "I'm sorry." Gods, now he couldn't yell at Weasley for forcing himself on her because he'd be hypocritical.

Hermione recovered quickly and took a step closer to Draco to get rid of the space he had put between them. Her hand smacked lightly at his cheek. He didn't even flinch under the touch; he merely let out a resigned sigh as if he thought he deserved it. "That's for apologizing about taking what's… yours." She gave him a sheepish smile and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"You're so perfect." She started to protest but he squeezed her to tell her not to disrupt. "Don't ever feel shameful." Hermione was surprised he'd bring that up. They usually avoided topics that made the other uncomfortable. Maybe it was just a day for awkward. Instead of being scared out of her wits, she was being embarrassed beyond belief. She was starting to long for being scared instead. Being scared didn't hurt your pride quite like being seen half naked by someone other than yourself or a fellow female for the first time. "You have a beautiful body, Hermione." She flushed again, but this time it was a good, pleased kind of blush.

He pulled away slowly and laid a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Now get ready for Hogsmeade."

Draco turned and left and Hermione found her wand sitting on her bedside table.

oOo

Hermione shuffled her feet as she waited for Draco outside of the massive doors of Hogwarts Castle. The cool air nipped at her fingers with a numbing sensation that made her question why she had worn a dress. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she pulled her wand from the hidden seam in the side of her dress to cast a simple warming charm on herself. Instant heat spread through her body, from head to toes, as if she had just taken a sip of newly brewed tea.

A low whistle split through the air and Hermione looked up to see Blaise coming towards her with a bit of a grin on his face.

"You, Granger, look very nice." She blushed and cursed Halloween day. Why did it have to turn into 'embarrass Hermione day'?

"Thanks."

"Are you waiting for Draco?" The dark haired Slytherin questioned, his eyes slid over her figure once more.

"Yes." She didn't feel uncomfortable under Blaise's gaze. While she wasn't used to being scrutinized so openly, he didn't hold any real heat in his gaze, merely detached curiosity. It seemed he knew that Draco would have his neck for looking at her too intently, because his eyes quickly left her body and met her face.

A group of giggling Slytherin girls passed by, one of them motioning for him to follow. "Well, have fun with Draco, Hermione." She nodded and watched in amusement as Blaise conjured up an orange rose and offered it a blonde girl from their year. The two continued down the path holding hands.

A balmy hand settled low on Hermione's back and caused her to turn around in shock. Her eyes found Draco's and he gave her a small smile. "Aren't you cold?" He asked, looking at her bare shoulders and legs.

"Warming charm."

He smiled and murmured something that sounded like 'of course' before his eyes settled on her ankles and, presumably, her feet.

Hermione once again shifted her weight from foot to foot in a show of nervousness. "I didn't know how much walking we'd be doing."

Normal girls wore high heels with dresses. Hermione personally thought they were one of God's curses on womankind so she skipped them and instead went for a pair of grey, lace less oxford-like shoes. While it was different, she had found them presentable enough. It made the outfit special, in her opinion; something more edgy than overly dressy.

"You look amazing." Draco's still grey irises slithered up her calves and knees to where the dark purple material of her dress began. He would have to thank She-W, no, _Ginny_ for telling his Mate to wear it. The dress did her every curve justice with a tasteful yet clinging silk blend that started a bit above her knees. It cinched in the slightest bit at her tiny waist and softly accentuated her chest before settling high enough to not be sleazy with the amount of cleavage it showed. There were lighter purple colored lines infused into the cloth that were barely visible to even his eyes. His gaze traced up her neck where her mark was shown proudly, to where her earlobes were adorned with small opals, then onto her flushed face. Yes, he would most definitely thank Ginny for the accessibility he had to so much of her perfect skin.

He offered a soft grin and watched as a smile grew on her face. "Thank you."

Draco wrapped his arm around her and they started walking towards Hogsmeade with unhurried steps, just taking in the other person's heat and comfort.

"I was thinking we could maybe get dinner and try to steer clear of the prank pulling first years. Then we could meet up with Ginny and everyone else. Is that alright?" He inquired softly when they got closer to the noise of their fellow students who were busy chasing each other and gorging themselves on candy. Hermione nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder, as his fingers caressed her dress in small circles near her hip. "Do you have any preference of places to go?" She shook her head no. If he picked restaurants like he cooked, there would be absolutely no problem with the food. "Then I have the perfect place to go." He led her into a small alleyway away from all the people. The scent of moss and mold hung heavy in the air, contrasting against the loud excited chatter of younger children playing around.

Hermione let out a small gasp when saw a line of people standing outside an old yet well maintained looking building. A small boy dressed in adorable dress robes was asleep in his mother's arms, sucking his thumb while his lavender eyelids twitched. Several more children were also with their parents, some looking bored and others excited.

Draco kept walking, right past the mob of people without a second glance. The wrought iron clad doors were wide open, and when she stepped in it instantly felt warmer. Another warming charm. Candles floated high above her head, setting a warm and cozy feeling to the large room. Everyone was making conversation with each other, some of business and others about their kid's day at school. Hermione found it odd that there was such a diverse age group packed into one restaurant. Many wizarding establishments acknowledged one 'target group' and made profit off of them. But this place was homey with cool toned oranges and warm browns. In fact, it reminded her a bit of her dining room back at home with her parents.

A tall man wearing an orange shirt saw them and turned away from his natter with an employee and approached them with a wide smile. "Mr. Malfoy!" The man was motioned for them to follow him with an excited hand. "And guest." A pair of hazel eyes met hers and Hermione found them to be full of laughter.

"Yes." Draco shot her a small smile which made her wonder was going on in his head for it was a mischievous smile. "This is Isaac Koch. He's the manager here. Isaac this is my," Draco paused and they shared knowing grins, "girlfriend, Hermione Granger."

Isaac rolled his eyes at them. "Oh, your mother was in here a bit ago. I know all about your magic veela love."

Hermione shot Draco a worried look. Not everyone knew, right? While she liked Narcissa Malfoy very much, she didn't know what to think about her telling random people about her and Draco's relationship. It was bound to get to the press soon enough but she liked the privacy they had at the moment. Hermione looked around and saw various businessmen looking at them with curious eyes. Women eyed Draco like he had a price tag on his head… Well, at least as private as things could be when you're dating one of the wizarding world's richest men alive.

"My mother and Blaise's mum own this place."

"Oh." That made things a bit better. Obviously Isaac was a friend then. She gave him a bright smile and held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you." Isaac looked at Draco apprehensively, stories of possessive veelas in his mind, but her veela only nodded. The young manager's hand clasped loosely to hers as they shook.

"You too, Miss Granger." Isaac's smile widened and he went to grab a few menus from a stack on a podium near the entrance.

"You're mother owns a restaurant." She cocked an eyebrow in amusement and Draco only shrugged.

"She loves to design things. There's only so many times she can redo the Manor, so this was perfect. Mrs. Zabini takes care of lots of the food choices though. This place has the best Italian food outside of the country itself." He explained while pulling her chair out for her. Hermione sat and he gently scooted her in before taking his own seat. "She bought it after father died so she'd have something to distract her, I think."

Hermione nodded slowly as she always did whenever Lucius Malfoy came into conversation. Thankfully, Isaac came with menus and two glasses of water floating behind him before they could get onto the topic of Draco's Death Eater father.

"The usual wine for you, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco nodded and Isaac turned to Hermione. "And for you?" She blinked and felt her face heat up. She wasn't well versed in the world of wines. Heck, the only alcoholic drink she'd had was butterbeer and Ogden's Best once. Oh, and that firewhiskey the twins had slipped her as a joke. Wine was unchartered territory.

"You wouldn't happen to have any Fitzrovia Brut Rosé, would you?" Draco questioned.

"Yes, we have a few bottles in the back. I'll make sure to open the best one." With that said, Isaac walked off, tucking his slip of paper in his back pocket.

"Thanks." Hermione murmured. She _had_ figured one thing out about today. It _was_ 'Embarrass Hermione Day'. It must've grown from an inner joke into a national holiday and eaten up Halloween.

"Of course." Draco said the softest of smiles on his lips.

"So… What's your usual?" She inquired; filling in the silent gap between them. While it hadn't been an awkward one, she still felt the need to quash it before it too grew and ate them up.

"**Kings Fumé." He said with a slight smile. "Its name is in honor of the first King Charles."** "**Then it's a Stanlake Park wine?" Draco looked at her with little surprise, but a teasing grin. He nodded his head. "Because he had donated a window to the winery in 1626. It was in my studies forever ago." She added with a grin of her own. **

"Of course it was." The teasing grin remained as he reached for a menu.

Hermione's eyes scanned the menu and found something that shocked her – nothing was overpriced and unattainable for those with normal incomes. Now that she thought about it, there were children in the restaurant, good prices, and a comfy atmosphere. All in all, it was nothing like the place she expected a Malfoy to own. It was devoid of snooty waiters and children-hating adults. Instead, it was like the diner her mum and dad had taken her to on numerous occasions. Waiters knew customers by name and knew how they liked their steak done. It was welcoming.

Her face grew soft as she took in Draco's form.

He and his mother were nothing like what she had thought they would be. Narcissa was a warm human being who had been put through things that had tested her faith to her husband. Draco had been raised, no _influenced_, by a man who was cold and uncompassionate. But he was warm as well. Maybe he was just that way towards her because she was his Mate… But he tolerated Harry and Ron and even seemed to like Ginny. He was learning to cast aside the prejudices that had been instilled in him from a young age.

And she was proud of him.

Hermione rested her hand on the table in a silent invitation for him to touch her. He took her hand in his and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. They did all this without once looking at each other. It was as if they were an old couple, keen to what the other wanted without either of them saying a word. It was comfortable and Hermione found herself liking that about their relationship.

Her eyes rested on her final meal choice and she went back to her previous occupation; Draco watching.

She saw how his bangs lay in front of his eyes in the most boyish way. Although, the manner in which the rest of his hair looked was anything but childlike. The bright blonde locks curled near his ears and the nape of his neck; begging for her fingers to knot into it. His eyelashes were borderline feminine; casting long shadows on his high cheekbones as he read the menu. But his broad shoulders and strong looking body was far from feminine. Draco had always been attractive, but before he had been the enemy. He had been a common example of how some beauty is only skin deep. But now he was within her reach. She, the ex-rival, had him all to herself. And she kind of liked it.

Hermione silently wondered if the rest of him was as nice as what she saw on a day to day basis.

At that she blushed again and snapped her menu open; trying to look preoccupied as Draco looked up at her with curious eyes.

"Do you know what you're getting?" His gaze settled on the twin patches of blush on her cheeks. While the pink shade was flattering on her, he wanted to know what was making her blush.

Hermione nodded, unable to trust her voice. She would stutter, she just knew it.

Thinking about Draco sexually made her dizzy, to be honest. He was the Slytherin Sex God for heaven's sakes, and she was… Sadly inexperienced in that area. Draco had this air of confidence around him that extended to all aspects of his being. He was intellectually confident, as she was, and he was physically confident. He had every reason to be. Thanks to his veela genes he was a very alluring individual with all the right features to be an eye-catcher. And from the extensive rumors and stories he was a confident lover. The very thought of him with her in such an intimate way made her shiver. He was a beautiful person and was devoted to her and _that_ gave her heart murmurs.

So, all in all, thinking of him that way gave her all sorts of weird involuntary physical reactions. She may even have Draco-clinophobia… Hermione dismissed that thought. He had been sleeping in the same bed as her for over a month.

"Are you okay?" She nodded again and gave him a small smile before setting her menu down on the brown table cloth. He reached across the table and tilted her face up so he could see her eyes. Hermione looked down at the hand that was stroking her hand and spoke without thinking.

"2500 left handed people a year are killed by using products made for right handed people." And there went her very own form of 'fight or flight'. In awkward situations, use something intelligent to get out.

Draco blinked quickly and watched as the blush on her face intensified. "I'm sorry." She seemed mortified but he started laughing.

"Don't be. Hermione you're," He paused, for he was about to use a _very _unmanly word, "adorable." She gave a shy smile which he returned with a full blown grin. Hermione found herself unable to form intelligent words when she saw him smile like that. It sent her into a momentary shock. He looked so carefree and after seeing how he had been in their 6th year with all the Voldemort business… It was liberating to see him happy in her presence - so happy that he was laughing in public and smiling so widely.

"Good to know. And don't worry; I won't let a quill made for a rightie kill you." Draco laughed again raised the hand that was in his to his lips.

"Merlin, I love you. And my left hand." His lips trailed over her knuckles.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and both Draco and Hermione looked up to see an amused looking Isaac holding a tray with their wine glasses on it. He set them down in front of the respective person and asked them what they wanted to order.

"I'll have the boscaiola vodka penne." Draco said, handing his menu to Isaac who took it after writing the order down.

"I'll have the…" Hermione's eyes scanned the menu. Her conversation with Draco had left her dazed and forgetful. "The Marsala chicken with linguini, please." After ordering she also handed her menu to Isaac. He gave them a parting smile and left them alone once again.

Draco went back to playing with her fingers. She found herself shivering at the way the calloused pad of his thumb lightly traced the outer edges of her palm. His light grey eyes met hers and she saw nothing but adoration in them. It made her insides warm to see just how caring he was with her. He had no reason to be gentle and, daresay, loving, but he was. He treated her like she was some sort of prized possession one put behind a glass case to admire. The good thing was that he still acknowledged that she had a backbone and was a Gryffindor. Hermione wasn't a doll. But strangely enough, she liked how he treated her. It made her feel special.

Love overflowed from her heart and she knew Draco could feel it because he was wearing a soft smile that matched the gentleness in his eyes. He brought her hand to his lips again and kissed her palm, exhaling hot air onto the sensitive skin. He watched as another shiver made her form shudder in delight. He, being somewhat egotistical, liked that even the smallest things he did could make her react to him.

There was suddenly a loud wailing noise and Draco flinched at the sound that was amplified due to his better hearing. Hermione simply looked around in concern.

A woman near them stood suddenly and started soothing the baby in her arms with quiet cooing noises and soothing touches. Draco looked at his Mate and saw her face soften, no _melt_, at the sight of the newborn opening its eyes. A small gasp escaped her lips as the baby looked at her briefly before his eyes fell shut then opened again in a clumsy blink. She gave a childlike wave to the baby and watched in awe as it gurgled in return. The harried looking mother shot her a smile but continued bouncing slightly to calm her child. The woman reached into a bag and pulled out a small orange hat with a black stitching on it to make it look like a jack o'lantern.

It was then that Draco knew two things: One, Hermione, like many other women, had a soft spot for babies and would want children. Two, his date was officially stolen by someone under a month old and had no teeth.

When she finally turned back to him he saw that her smile was as soft as a new duckling's feathers. "It reminds me of how I used to dress up for Halloween and go trick-or-treating." He gave her a confused look and Hermione proceeded to explain what trick-or-treating was. Even as their food came and they ate, she amused him with stories of how she would trade chewy candies for chocolate with the neighbor boy because of her dentist parents.

Whatever a dentist was.

oOo

They were walking again, this time exiting from Honeyduke's after Hermione had insisted on buying some chocolate frogs. She clutched her bag in one hand and held Draco's in the other. Students from younger years ran around on sugar highs and the excitement of just being out. Halloween was one of the few times that first years were allowed down to Hogsmeade, so the kids were soaking in the momentary freedom.

The Three Broomsticks came into view as did the huge mob of students entering and exiting it. As usual it was a hotspot for everyone to congregate and see who could drink the most butterbeers.

Hermione internally laughed at the memory of how many she'd drunk when she'd been angry at Ron. She had them all beat by at least five mugs.

Draco walked ahead of her and held open the door as she slid by him. Loud chattering at warmth assaulted her senses the moment she entered the pub. People were taking up booths and some had even dragged chairs from other tables so they could sit with their friends. Madam Rosmerta was weaving her way through the crowd and serving butterbeer and firewhiskey to everyone. Hermione looked around and found a person with red hair facing away from her. She approached them and Draco followed after her.

"Ro-." Her words died on her lips as she looked down at the person she had thought to be Ron. "Harry?" The person turned and looked at her and it was indeed her green eyed friend. Except he had blue eyes and his glasses were gone.

"Hey Hermione, Malfoy." Harry nodded to each of them before looking like he wanted to crawl under the table and hide.

Hermione looked back at Draco and saw he had an unreadable look on his face. She went back to her friend and saw what it was that Draco was looking at.

Harry's outfit consisted of a mask that was yellow and had little lightening blots on the side that were red. His shirt was ridiculously tight and was the same yellow as the mask. His pants were a red shade that was bright and clashed with the yellow.

"Um… Who are you supposed to be?" Harry looked up at her with an uncomfortable look clear as day on his face.

"I tell her one time that I like American comics and I get this." He muttered before straightening out his posture. "Kid Flash. Ginny though the lightning bolts were perfect for me."

"That's some nice spandex, Potter." Draco commented with a smirk on his face. Harry squirmed and Hermione shot her veela a look. He instantly lost the smirk and she gave him a smile.

"You know what, it is nice spandex." Harry nodded and a girl in a tattered looking clothing approached them. She set down two new glasses of butterbeer and slid next to Harry in the booth.

"It's very nice spandex." The girl commented before looking up to Hermione and Draco with a grin. "You look very nice, Hermione. I told you that dress is perfect for you."

Hermione blinked owlishly. "Ginny?" The girl nodded enthusiastically and motioned for them to sit. She sat down and Draco did as well. "You look… Wow…" Hermione took in the sight of Ginny with purple-pink colored hair and bright pink eyes. There was a thick smudge of black kohl that accentuated the cat-like shape of Ginny's eyes. She wore a black dress that reached mid-thigh. Stripped black and purple tights clung to her legs like a second skin. A pair of mid-calf height black boots were on her feet. The dress had jagged pieces of purple material hanging from the top hem that were bat-like in appearance. A black choker was on her neck and it has a purple gem in the middle.

"Thanks." Ginny shot another smile and took a long sip of her butterbeer. "And I'm Jinx, by the way. I always wanted to be a villain. Although I'm a villain who turns good…." She trailed off and suddenly rolled her eyes.

Hermione frowned but then she felt someone put their hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione! Wow, is that even you? Your hair looks so _good_." She flinched at the high pitched sound of Lavender's voice. Her fellow Gryffindor was glued to Ron's side, his arm wrapped around her.

"Yes, well, it's been like this for the past two years." Hermione said with a slight sarcastic bite. Draco's hand found hers and she sighed. "You look nice as well, Lavender." The blonde haired girl grinned and tugged Ron into the booth next to Ginny.

"I thought you said he was with Parvati." Draco whispered in her ear. Hermione shrugged and leaned her head on his shoulder. His fingers brushed away a few of her curls then buried into her hair as his face turned toward her so he could breathe in her scent. She closed her eyes as his warm breath saturated her strands.

In all honesty, it didn't matter who Ron dated as long as he was happy.

She had Draco and he made other things seemed to just pale in comparison on her "importance" list.

oOoOo

A/N: Poor Draco…You'll see as new chapters come, that his patience and lust will be stretched thinner and thinner. Once again, poor guy. But it should make for an amusing plotline for you guys to read. Things have to get worse before they can get better.

I hope that things are still nice with Draco and Hermione's relationship. While they are hormone driven teenagers, (I sound old, ne?) I still want things between them to be tasteful. I don't like it when stories suddenly become all about sex when two characters realize they like each other. There is more to their relationship than just physical attraction, and I hope I'm still portraying that well enough.

Oh, and by the way, those two dishes that they got at Draco's mum's restaurant are two of my all time favorite foods. I adore a good Marsala chicken… Yum… And vodka mushroom penne is great. Usually if I make it I substitute the vodka for a dry white wine because it isn't worth making if you don't have good alcohol to put it in. And no, I'm not drinking the alcohol. I'm not into underage drinking and the like. Not my thing. Also, if you can't tell already, I have a soft spot for babies as well. They're just so beautiful.

As for the costumes Harry and Ginny wore, google it. They are wearing costumes for my favorite Teen Titans characters. No, not the cartoon, the 80's comic. The comic is better. But the costumes are a fusion of the cartoon versions and the comic versions. I didn't like the idea of Ginny being bald… That'd be too weird for me. You have to remember that there are SO many versions of superhero garb that it isn't even funny.


	16. So Thankful

A/N: Alright, here's the Thanksgiving chapter! Yes, I realize that some people in England don't celebrate Thanksgiving due to it being more of an American holiday because the pilgrims came over to America. But I hope you guys like it nonetheless. This chapter is long… Like 26 Word pages.

Song inspiration is 'Hysteric' by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. That song is a must listen to. It makes sense lyrics wise… Kinda… But it sets the mood about 6,000 words into the chapter. Also, the song 'You' by Switchfoot is an inspiration.

Chapter dedicated to: lollapalozzafan83 for being my 200th reviewer! Thank you so much! This is my first story that has broken 100 reviews, and now it broke 200! And it's all thanks to you guys who were kind enough to leave me a review. *Passes around cake to reviewers* I can't express how grateful I am.

oOoOo

**Chapter 15**

'**So Thankful'**

Hermione picked up her trunk, or tried to pick up her trunk. It was filled with books, clothes, quills, and holiday homework just in case she had time to do it. So it weighed at least sixty pounds. She grunted in disdain and pulled out her wand to shrink the bloody thing down to the size of a wallet. She stuck it in her coat pocket and smiled as she straightened up the mess she had made while packing.

It was Thanksgiving holiday and usually she went to the Weasley's. But this year was going to be totally different. Not only was it going to be a Weasley-free holiday, but Draco was coming with her. Yes, he was accompanying her to her house. Not just for Thanksgiving Day, but for two days. Her parents were big on having a Thanksgiving breakfast the day before, then on Thanksgiving they would have family over and a meal that rivaled the feast at Hogwarts. She hadn't gone since she was twelve, and oddly enough she was looking forward to being pestered by her cousins and uncles.

She missed them all.

While she was excited, she wasn't looking forward to her parent's reactions to Draco. Her dad was a stereotypical protective father and her mother was somewhat conservative. Sure, they knew her two best friends were boys, but there was huge difference between best friends and… boyfriends. Also, there was the fact that they were awfully close for a couple who hadn't been together for more than a year. Her dad was bound to respond like all fathers did in movies and throw a fit of some sort. Her mum would watch them with her hawk-like eyes, taking in everything about them and see how they interacted.

All that aside, she was eager to see her mum and help her make food the Muggle way. She wanted her dad to talk to her about new books. She wanted to see her cousin, who had been born while she'd been fighting Voldemort. She wanted to smell fresh baked minced pies and sweets with fall spices in them. But most of all, she wanted Draco to experience it all with her. He had his mother but she knew for a fact that he'd never had a real family Thanksgiving.

Hermione sighed happily as she stuck a shirt back into a drawer. She then closed her door and ran right into Draco. He caught her shoulders and steadied her before giving her a small smile.

It was really early, but neither of them seemed to care. Hermione had told Draco about her mother's day before Thanksgiving breakfast and he insisted they be there for it. She had offered to let him sleep in and floo over later, but he said he wanted to be there for the entire thing.

"Ready to go?" She asked and Draco nodded mutely, reaching for her hand. They both moved toward the stone fireplace and he grabbed a handful of floo powder before stepping closer to Hermione. She tucked her head under his chin and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Granger home." Green flames danced around them and they both felt an odd sense of flight before their feet connected with hard ground again. Hermione looked up and suddenly grinned. Draco looked at her cautiously when she giggled quietly.

"You got a little something right there." She motioned to his face but didn't give him time to reach up and see what she was talking about. Her warm fingers wiped away a bit of black soot that stuck itself to his forehead. "All better." Hermione murmured, leaning up and giving him a quick peck on the lips. She finally stepped back and peered around. Everything was exactly as it had been when she'd last seen it. There was still the same soft cream carpet with a worn but good looking couch. The curtains were still the dark shade of blue her mother had insisted upon making them. Numerous pictures hung on the walls. Draco noticed that many of them were of Hermione.

She smiled a bit when she saw Draco's curious gaze. She tugged on his hand and he followed behind her.

Cool grey eyes slid over everything in his line of sight. It was all so snug and inviting, from the color of the walls to the sunlight shining in through the windows. The wood trim was a chestnut color that instantly reminded Draco of Hermione's eye color. She pulled him around a corner and she tentatively spoke. "Mum?" He could feel her excitement and love and found himself smiling along with her.

"Hermione!"

There was a flurry of curls and Hermione was yanked from his grasp. He watched as the woman who birthed his Mate embrace her daughter. "I missed you so much, love." There was a shuffling noise and Draco saw Hermione's father enter the room.

His eyes immediately assessed the man and it was easy enough to pick out bits and pieces of Hermione in him. The father-daughter duo shared the same eye color as well as hair color. Besides that, they looked almost nothing alike. Mr. Granger wasn't tiny boned like his daughter, but he wasn't large either. He had definite muscle tone that one apprehended from exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Hermione's father's gaze was stuck on his wife and daughter, just happy to see her home and safe. When the man's eyes moved to Draco, he felt himself straighten out.

Even if dear old dad had been an evil bastard, Draco had learned to keep composure in new situations thanks to his…teachings. And this was a very new situation where poise and respect were demanded of him.

He stepped forward and Mr. Granger matched his movement. They both stuck out their hands.

"I'm Richard Granger, and that's my wife, Andrea."

"Draco Malfoy."

Mr. Granger dropped his hand as if it stung him. "Hermione?" His voice was hard and questioning. A pair of doe-like eyes meet her father's and Draco stiffened at the awkwardness that passed between the father and daughter.

"Yes dad?" Hermione pulled herself out of her mother's embrace and found her father's eyes. She instantly wished to be back in her mum's arms because they were warm and nothing like the cold interrogative look in her dad's gaze.

"I'm assuming that there's only one Draco Malfoy?" He inquired and Hermione froze; her eyes wide in recognition of what was going on. Her cynical side snorted. Let the games begin.

"Yes."

"Then this is the same Draco Malfoy who made fun of you, hurt you, and called you… that horrible name?"

She swallowed deeply and moved away from her mother to stand next to Draco. "No." Her veela started in surprise and his gaze sought out hers but she ignored him. "No, he's not the same one." Her hand reached for his and she could feel the anxiety and curiosity radiating off of him. He had no idea what she was up to, and frankly, neither did she. Hermione was making it up as she was going. Her parents needed to see her point of view. They had to. She was their only child, and she craved acceptance from them. "He's not the same because he's changed."

Wow, that was a rather philosophical statement.

"But that means he's still the same boy who has been cruel to you in the past?"

Hermione didn't want to respond. She didn't like lying, nor was she particularly good at it. And these people were her parents. They deserved the truth. She jerked her head in a curt nod.

"Then why the hell is he here?"

"Richard!"

"Dad!"

Both women were wide eyed, gaping at the older man whom they loved dearly in different forms of affection. He hardly ever cursed.

"Are you aware that the summer after her first year at school, she cried as she told us what happened?" Hermione stroked his hand with her thumb and prayed to every deity in existence that things wouldn't blow up into a fight. She had really been looking forward to this Thanksgiving break with her family. But if they couldn't accept Draco, she wasn't sure what she'd do.

"She told me about a boy who tripped her so she dropped all of her books. The next year she said that same boy called her…" Her father paused, not even wanting to utter the word. "A derogatory term. She looked heartbroken then. But she said she'd prove everyone wrong." His eyes softened as he looked at his daughter in affection. His brave, stubborn girl. "Then she tells me the boy threw curses at her and that she'd cried in _shame_. But the worst of all is that while she was being tortured by one of that boy's kin, he did nothing." Fiery amber settled on dark slate.

Draco clenched his jaw and Hermione tightened her grip on his hand. "I forgave him for everything, dad. Please don't bring those things up." She glanced at the blonde next to her and saw his eyes were screwed shut as if he was in pain. She reached with her free hand and touching his arm soothingly. Waves of regret rolled off of him, mixing in with her irritation towards her father for mentioning sensitive topics.

"How can I not bring it up, Hermione? He hurt you. I'm your father; I'm supposed to look after your well being."

"I know." Hermione took in a deep breath. "I know you're only doing it because you care about me. But please, leave it be."

"I'll try." Her father's fists loosened and she could hear his loud calming inhalations. "But really, why is he here?"

"He's with me." She was purposefully vague, knowing that her parents were quick enough to catch what she meant.

"You mean you're dating him?" She nodded and it became obvious that tenseness crept its way back into the room before the blink of anyone's eyes. "How can you do that? You're a sweet person, Hermione, so I understand you forgiving him… But taking up a romantic relationship with him?" Her father's tone was incredulous; as if he couldn't even begin to comprehend why she was with Draco. Which, in one aspect, he couldn't understand. He couldn't know what a veela/mate relationship was like because he didn't know the magnetic pull of one. He also didn't know that she loved the man next to her.

"Yes, I'm dating him." Her eyes flashed in defensiveness. "I'm dating him because he's a good person. He's beyond brilliant, he's sarcastic, he's sweet, and he's great to me."

Her father snorted derisively. "What kind of good person trips little girls and mocks people?"

"Mr. Granger," Everyone's attention moved to Draco who hadn't spoke since the family fight had begun, "I'm perfectly aware that I was a horrible person to Hermione. I could make excuses about how the way I was raised made me into the terror I was. But the blame does lie on me for the way I acted towards your daughter." His voice was steady as he looked right into Hermione's father's eyes. She had to admire him for keeping a level tone when he was being torn down verbally. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret my past actions for some reason or another. I never took the time to see what an amazing woman she was. I was a bigot and a prejudiced brat. I can only thank the heavens that she forgave me. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her now, though." His thumb ran over the inside of her palm and they shared a quick look.

They both knew exactly what would happen if he didn't have her.

"For Hermione's sake and this holiday, I'll put up with this." Brown eyes narrowed.

Mrs. Granger clapped her hands and everyone's eyes turned to her. "Alright then! It's time for breakfast! Hermione, grab the plate of muffins, would you?" She shot her daughter a small smile that soothed Hermione, in a way only a mother's loving look could. It said that everything would be alright.

oOo

"Hermione told me that you made Head Boy." Draco turned to look at Richard Granger. The man seemed to be grudgingly making conversation with him, due to the slight nudge his wife had given him.

"Yes, sir. Hermione and I have been working closely and I'm lucky to have such an exceptional counterpart." Ah, double edged words. They were Draco's favorite way of playing with conversations. He could be saying one thing but meaning something totally different. Now was a perfect example of that.

"Yes you are." Richard nodded in affirmation. He gave the boy next to him a calculating glance. He reluctantly admitted to himself that the kid was somewhat attractive. Although, he knew his daughter had never been one to judge people by their looks. His girl valued brains and since the boy was Head Boy, he had to have good grades.

Both men watched as the women flitted around the kitchen. They had spent much of the time after breakfast preparing various foods for tomorrow. Draco had offered to help but, in an act of mercy, Mr. Granger had told him to leave them be. As he observed the way the mother-daughter duo cooked up a storm, he understood why the man chose to stay out of their path of destruction. Flour was strewn across the countertops and bits of dough were sticking to wooden spoons. It looked an awful lot like one of Longbottom's potions gone bad.

Draco heard Hermione's near silent gasp and looked at her, concerned. "What is it?"

"Would you mind grabbing me the orange vial from my dresser?" He nodded, his brow furrowed, and went upstairs to Hermione's room. He pushed open her door and saw several vials on her bureau in varying colors. He picked up the orange one and righted a pink bottle that had fallen over. Once he entered the kitchen again, he found Hermione stretching her arms above her head as if trying to draw out tightness in her muscles.

"Here you go." Draco watched as she gulped the entire thing down before recapping the flask and sticking it in her pocket.

"Why did you need it?" His voice was low but laced with worry. Her parents also looked interested.

"I still get pains from… falling and my ribs and all that." The corners of his eyes tightened at the memory of the pain she'd gone through after being pushed off the Astronomy Tower. Hermione recognized the guilt on his face and rolled her eyes in a dismissive manner. "You already know in that logical part of your brain that there was nothing you could do to stop it."

"What couldn't Draco stop?" Her mother hadn't given her opinion of Draco yet. She was actually rather quiet on the entire topic of him being her daughter's old tormenter. She seemed to be observing every little thing about both of them before she gave her view of them as a couple. It was just like Hermione had guessed. Her mum was calculating and rather cunning.

Hermione gave Draco a slightly tired look which he completely understood. Keeping secrets was a Slytherin specialty, but if you were a warm hearted Gryffindor, things were harder to keep in. Especially from your parents.

"I'll tell you all about it over dinner."

"Well then we can have dinner now." Hermione's mum grabbed a platter behind her and proceeded to set the table.

"Should we…" Hermione whispered to Draco, trailing off at the end, hoping that he caught the gist of what she was saying.

"If you want to."He knew he had it easy with his mum being both a witch, but also a very accepting person when it came to he and Hermione's relationship. Hermione had the difficult end of the bitter deal. Her parents were Muggles and most likely wouldn't understand things about magical beings such as himself.

She nodded and picked up the stack of cutlery and placed them at each chair. He took the plates she handed him and put them in the center of the place settings.

After everything was set down and people served themselves, tension grew and Hermione grabbed at his hand under the table. He unthinkingly brought it to his lips to calm her; not noticing the look of surprise in her mother's eyes and the narrowing of her father's gaze.

"Mum…Dad… We have something to tell you." Hermione started but Richard's right hand slapped loudly against the table; stopping her from continuing on.

"You didn't get my daughter pregnant, did you?"

Hermione flinched but Draco met the man's angry eyes.

"No, sir." Richard stared on, waiting for the boy to squirm under his gaze. He felt as if he should be burning holes into the expensive shirt that the Malfoy wore. Alas, there were neither holes nor squirming. Grey eyes stared right back into his and he found himself actually believing the boy.

"Alright then." He coughed into his fist and motioned for Hermione to proceed.

"Well Draco and I are closer than boyfriend and girlfriend."

"You proposed to my daughter?"

"Dad! Please, just stop and listen to me!" Brown met brown and Richard could see that familiar fire in his daughter's eyes. He murmured an apology, knowing that interrupting her wasn't a great idea. And especially not twice in a row. "Draco… He's not exactly… He's a veela." Every person in the room, save for Draco and Hermione, frowned in confusion at the unknown term. "Mum, you read me books about nymphs and sirens from Homer's works… They're kind of like that. But…"

She didn't know how to put it without making her parents explode. Her words were failing her and Draco slid in to take the lead in the conversation. "Veelas are, as Hermione said, like sirens. They are creatures derived from harpies, vampires, and nymphs. The veela gene has been in my family since a veela named Ara mated with one of my kin. Ever since then the gene has thrived in Malfoy blood; skipping a generation and sometimes several generations. My father had it as well as my mother, whose father had the gene as well. I was then born with a little more than one eighth veela in me." He paused, letting the information sink in. Hermione squeezed his hand before letting it drift upwards to stroke his arm under the cover of the table cloth.

"Veelas have characteristics from harpies such as," Draco froze, wondering if telling her parents about veelas being sexual creatures was a good idea, "they are very attractive and pale. Female veelas have the ability to entrance men as if they were under some sort of spell of lust. Many of their features come from nymphs such as grace, slim build, and light eyes. Like vampires… They have mates. Veelas live for their mate and die without their acceptance. They strive to do right by their mate to keep them happy and safe. Every thought and instinct exists so that their mate is out of harm's way. There are several steps to the bonding of a veela and mate such as approval from their mate, the… marking and lastly, consummation." Both of Hermione's parents looked interested by the new information as well as suspicious as to why it mattered what he was. "Hermione's my mate." He waited for the onslaught and protests.

"So you're subjecting my daughter to fornication." Richard Granger's eyes narrowed for the hundredth time that day as he looked at his daughter. She was his little girl… Imagining her with a man was practically taboo.

"Dad, it's his life on the line." Hermione met her dad's eyes before looking down. "But we're waiting until its closer to his birthday. That's the last day before he would die if we didn't consummate."

"And this isn't some ploy to steal my daughter? Or mock her later?"

"I wouldn't even do that in my nightmares." Draco replied; his hand on Hermione's tightening a bit at the unintended accusation her father had pinned to him. "It's impossible for me to hurt her now. Her happiness is mine, and when she's in pain, I am too. But I can assure you that I'm not just with Hermione because I want to live. I love her." His gaze was steady and sure – borderline defiant; as if he was waiting for someone to oppose his words.

Hermione's father nodded and her mother looked at both of them with wide eyes.

"And I love him back." Her parents' eyes met hers. "Have you ever known me to do something rash?" They both shook their heads, unable to speak. "I wouldn't fall in love with someone who's a bad person. Draco's not bad. He's my veela, and I adore him." A surge of pride filled Hermione as she looked at Draco. He'd changed and she loved him, she really did.

Richard sighed but nodded and Hermione's mother seemed accepting as well. "What about those pains you're having. He doesn't have anything to do with it, does he?"

"I-."

Hermione cut Draco off before he could go spewing out something about how he should've saved her. He carried way too much guilt from the things that happened to her. "No, Draco didn't. I had been patrolling and he had been with me. A girl who has liked Draco since first year pushed me and I fell." There, a simple answer, not too detailed so her mum wouldn't explode with worry.

"Fell from where?"

She stared pleadingly at her dad. Hermione hated lying to her parents, she really did. But she didn't want them to get anxious and wonder if she was safe at school. They knew about the war and it was a sore subject being that she hadn't told them about it until after it was finished. In a way she had been protecting them and they understood that, but they had said they wished they knew.

"The Astronomy Tower." She mumbled into her glass of water.

Her mother gasped. "Hermione! Why didn't you tell us? You know we get worried." Her tone wasn't accusing, merely sad that her daughter felt the need to be so independent and not let them dote on her. She'd grown up so fast and been through so much heartache already… Why wouldn't her little Hermione let her coddle her?

"I'm fine now. I just get pains in my ribs every once in a while. It's nothing really." Hermione assured them with a soothing tone. She could feel Draco's worry and reached up to poke him in the shoulder. "Stop wallowing. I already told you there's nothing that you could've done." He sighed in resignation and shook his head as if to say 'whatever you say.'

"What else happened?"

"Ah, nothing much. We had project together and figured out a cure." She shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance. In truth, everything that had happened either revolved around her being in danger, something with Draco, or her lapse in friendship with Ron. All of those things weren't really family-safe conversations. Her parents would do fine without knowing her friend had assaulted her, or that a pervert had felt her up during class.

"Hermione…" Her mother's voice was soft and persuasive.

"Honestly mum, I've been trying to focus on my studies. Nothing exciting has happened. All that stuff is in the past."

The older woman sighed. "Fine. You never did tell us what you wanted to do after you graduate." She twirled her glass of wine around and took a sip while looking at her daughter intently.

"Something in the Ministry."

"Hermione! Stop being so vague!" Hermione grinned at the exasperated tone in her mum's voice.

"I'm thinking of being an Auror."

Draco choked on his drink in a rather unbecoming manner. Hermione looked at him worriedly but found he was fine; dabbing his lips with a cloth napkin. "An Auror?" She nodded. "Do you know how dangerous that is?" Hermione nodded again, watching as he swallowed deeply. "Please, don't take this the wrong way, but if you die, I die. And you being in constant danger like that…" She saw him shudder as he imagined her in a dodgy environment, never truly safe.

"Draco, I made it through the war. Not unscathed, mind you, but I made it." She folded her napkin and placed it on the table.

"Why try your luck?"

She looked at him, incredulousness laced over her features. "There are still Death Eaters out there. Avery and Nott are still out there, endangering people, Draco. Greyback is still on the loose and most likely infecting innocents." Her eyes flashed in an impassioned manner. "There are families being torn apart by the Parkinson's and Muggleborns being maimed by those who still have Pureblood idealisms. You can't honestly think I'll just sit back and let people be hurt."

Draco clenched his jaw. He understood all of that, and why she wanted to be an Auror, he really did. She was standing up for people like herself and being the brave Gryffindor she is. But couldn't she understand what it would be like for him? He would never know if she was an inch away from life or doing paperwork.

"I know, Hermione. You want to help everyone." His words came out much colder than he wanted them to. "You'll be putting yourself at risk in that line of work-."

Hermione cut him off. "Draco, I'm already a target! I was a part of the Golden Trio for heaven's sakes! I'll be in danger whether or not I become an Auror. Harry and Ron are becoming Aurors as well. I'll be safe."

"Weasley's protection doesn't mean much. Not after everything that happened between you two. Potter may be able to keep you from too much harm, but he has to watch his own back. Come on Hermione, you know what those battles are like - the really hardcore ones where dropping your guard for even a second can cost you your life. Even if Potter is watching you and defending you with his life, you'll be left vulnerable. I know you're strong, but I…" Draco stopped because he wasn't sure how to go on. He didn't know what to say. "I can't stand the idea of you being left without someone to watch over you."

"You're right, I'm strong. I'm stronger than you and I can handle battles on my own. I've gone through pain, Draco. You can't honestly think I can't handle myself in a simple wizard's battle." Her mind said it was a low blow to bring up her past meetings with torture. It hurt him to remember that. But she wanted to impact the world. She wanted to prove every Pureblood wrong. She wanted to put away all the bad people who hurt others and she would revel in it.

"I know you can handle yourself, that's not what the issue is. All it takes is one simple _Avada_ and you're gone." Everyone at the table tensed up. "One spell, Hermione and I'll die alongside you. I could care less about my life, but yours is different. As my Mate, you have to understand it. You could be captured and tortured or raped and what then? I'd go after you in the blink of an eye, don't doubt that. But that isn't the point. Do you think I want to find you tied up in some dungeon, bloodied and mutilated? Do you know what it would do to me to know that I could've stopped it all? I'd have to watch you suffer and it would hurt so much. Please, don't think of it as selfish. I just want you to be alive and well."

She nodded tersely and stood. "I'm going to go take a shower."

Draco watched as she walked away, subtly stomping her feet with each step like an enraged child would. She disappeared from his sight and he clenched then unclenched his jaw repeatedly. His entire body was taut and both of Hermione's parents were eyeing him cautiously.

"Thank you." His eyes snapped up from their hard stare on the table.

"Pardon?"

"Thank you for telling her how dangerous it would be if she were to pursue that field." Hermione's mother had the same look as her daughter did whenever she was truly grateful. It was odd for him to see the same soft expression on someone else. The same round eyes staring up at him. "She's my baby girl. I know of the war, and I can only imagine all the things she's gone through. She never tells us anything. It's like she's protecting us." The woman shook her head, her curly hair ruffling at the quick movement. "I'm sure she's been through more than I have. She's so young and I want her to be safe as well. I want her to thrive and grow and be happy and have a family."

Draco nodded, unable to do much speaking.

The woman's hazel eyes softened at the sight of the distraught blonde young man in front of her. He really seemed to like her daughter. He was honestly worried. "Was this your first fight?" The boy nodded again, looking like a lost child. He was good at hiding his worry, but she could see it. "Talk to her after. She'll see your way after an hour long shower, trust me."

"She's crying." His voice was hoarse.

"How do you know that?" Andrea's brows knit together.

"I can feel what she feels. And I can smell the tears." Draco grit his teeth and fisted his hands, his breathing shallow.

The parent's of his Mate shared a look that only couples worried about their child could share.

"She's more angry than anything." He swallowed and went to grab a book to keep him distracted until she was ready to talk to him.

oOo

Hermione threw her shirt over her head and started the faucet with a sharp twist. Angry tears streamed down her face and she didn't bother wiping them away. She didn't even know why she was reacting so violently. Draco was just worried about her safety. It wasn't like he'd said 'no' to her request to be an Auror. He was thinking logically and she wasn't. She was being emotional and it was stupid. She slipped her pants down and heard them tear at the harsh treatment on the delicate fabric.

Her pants were stupid too.

She stepped into the shower and let the hot water scald her skin. She just wanted to change things! She wanted to take down Greyback, Nott, Avery, and the Parkinson's. She wanted to see them locked up behind bars where they could never touch another person with their disgusting, hating skin.

Hermione stomped her foot and let out a childish whine. She had the distinct longing to hit something and scream that it wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that innocent women were raped by Avery. Some of them were girls younger than herself. It wasn't fair that people were being turned into werewolves without their consent, then ostracized by society. It wasn't fair that Muggleborns like herself were being killed and tortured just because of their parentage. None of it was fair! Everything in the world was so unjust and she just wanted to change it!

Hermione hit the wall and felt her knuckle crack. She grit her teeth and shook off the pain before grabbing a bar of soap and rubbing in violently into her wash cloth. She cleaned herself off then grabbed the closest shampoo and lathered it into her hair, not caring that she wasn't being gentle with her riotous curls. Knots formed and she wrenched her fingers from her hair and rinsed it haphazardly. Suds slid down her body and into the drain. Her hand grabbed her razor and she shaved her legs with meticulous strokes, making sure not a spot was left unshaven. After that she saw that despite her caution, many cuts had formed on her skin. A growl escaped her lips and didn't even bother letting the water soothe her, she just stepped out and grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapping it around her body; tucking the edge inwards tightly.

She crossed the hall into her bedroom and locked the door behind her, dropping her towel to the floor. Her bags had been unpacked, so she reached for a pair of clean knickers from inside her drawer and sliding them up her now-smoother legs. Her hands dug through her drawer until she found a soft pink bra which she put on along with a sage colored light weight sweater. A pair of black longue pants were pulled out of the bottom drawer and she slipped them on, leaving her feet to be adorned with dark socks. Hermione's books were stacked on her desk and she grabbed a random one from the top along with a comb for her hair which would be a nightmare to deal with. She trudged down the stairs and saw her parents both sitting in the kitchen, holding hands in companionable silence. They both looked up, but she went right past them and into the great room where Draco was sitting with a book and a blank stare.

Hermione sat down next to him and he looked up.

"Hi." His voice sounded strained with worry.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head, dismissing her apology as unneeded. Draco reached out hesitantly to touch her, unsure if she would let him or not. Her hand met his halfway and threaded her fingers into his. He pulled her hand to his cheek and let out a shuddering breath.

They sat in silence, he taking in her clean scent and the warmth of her skin on his. Hermione reached for the comb in her lap and started to brush out the kinks. It kept getting caught and Draco took it from her and moved her so her back was against his chest. His hand gently moved the comb through her hair so that each knot was carefully loosened. The warmth of her soft hair passed between each of his fingers as he tenderly soothed away the tied up hairs. He carefully placed the combed curls on her left shoulder and continued brushing out the rest of her hair. Draco let his fingers take the place of the comb and he mussed them up like he liked them. He rested his forehead on her shoulder and kissed her skin through her sweater.

"I love you. And I'm sorry. If you want to be an Auror, I say go for it. You should do whatever you want without me interfering in your choices. I understand why you want to become an Auror, I really do. Please know I support you. I don't want Avery and the rest out there anymore than you do."

Hermione turned around and wrapped her slim arms around his waist. "I love you too." She paused as Draco pulled her closer; his hands splayed over her upper back. "It's completely illogical for me to be an Auror. Believe it or not, I've grown quite attached to you." Her tone was teasing, but she truly meant it. "I don't want you in danger either, so I think I'll disregard being an Auror." She pulled away just enough so she could look into his grey eyes. "Although, I'm sure you wouldn't mind seeing me in so much Slytherin shaded green." Hermione felt Draco's chuckles reverberate inside her own chest.

There was a shuffling noise and both of Hermione's parents entered the room. They regarded the embracing couple with curious eyes and Richard cleared his throat, hoping that the boy would understand to take it as a hint to get his hands off of his daughter.

"Are things better?" Andrea watched as Draco removed his hands from around Hermione. He instead clasped their hands together with a gentle touch. Hermione looked up and nodded to her with a soft smile. It was then that Andrea truly saw the tenderness that her eyes held. Those were eyes of a girl in love. She moved her gaze to Draco and saw a matching look in his odd colored eyes. He looked at her as if she was some sort of precious thing that he was lucky to even touch. It warmed her heart to see that someone saw what an amazing girl Hermione was. Her daughter deserved someone to love her after all the things she had been through. Even though she didn't totally understand the whole veela thing, all she cared about was that it meant good things for her daughter. It wasn't everyday a boy came along that truly wanted his girlfriend to be happy. Draco genuinely seemed to want the best for Hermione.

"Well… It's getting late, love. The guest bedroom has been set up and-." Andrea stopped when she saw the couple share a look. It was the kind of look that mothers were trained to find – the 'I'm hiding something' look.

"Mum, Draco will be sleeping in my room."

"Like heck he will!" Richard could well see the affection they had for each other, but his daughter was well… his daughter.

"Dad, Draco gets moody if we're not together."

"He didn't make that up to sleep in your bed?" His eyebrow rose in a subtly challenging manner.

"No, dad. I was the one who proposed that he sleep in my bed. Draco really does get unstable. His emotions cause him a lot of grief and this makes it easier for him." Hermione decided she'd be the calm one in this conversation since last time she blew up and let her emotions get the best of her. "I haven't slept with Draco in the terms you're thinking of. Draco respects my choices and never pushes me. You'll just have to trust my word."

"I don't like it." He mumbled but waved them off with his hand. Richard watched as his daughter walked up the stairs with a boy following after her, their hands attached as if fused together.

Hermione entered her room and closed the door behind herself and Draco. He transfigured his shirt and pants into something comfier and used a spell to brush his teeth."Someone's feeling lazy today." She remarked.

"I'm tired. Just wanna hold you." He looked like a pouty child and she laughed quietly. Draco proceeded to make himself comfortable in her magically larger bed. He patted the place next to him. "Well, Hermione, my arms are waiting." He sounded whiny as he lifted his arms as if to show her that they were still empty. She nodded to him but opened her bureau and pulled out a cotton cami. She always got warm when he slept next to her. Her back was to him as she hooked her fingers under the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head. Oddly enough, she didn't feel uncomfortable half naked in front of him. Sure, he couldn't see the front of her or her flushed face, but it was still an entire piece of clothing she was missing.

Draco's eyes slid up her body, taking in her golden skin glowing in the light of the one lamp that was still on. His gaze made a trail from the backs of her heels, to the backs of her thighs, to the curve of her bum, to her spine and settling where the light pink straps of her bra connected. If he just reached out he could – no…. He shook his head and saw that she'd already slid a baby blue tank top on.

Draco held the covers up and Hermione slid in next to him. Her body instantly conformed to his, one of her arms resting on his chest and the other under his neck. He turned his head and kissed the warm skin on the inside of her arm. They settled for a moment before Draco decided she was still too far away for his tastes. His hand slipped over her waist to her back and he pulled her closer. There, that was better. Now he could feel her heartbeat and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

oOo

"Hermione! Go get the door, please!" Andrea Granger was scuttling around the kitchen like a harried hen. It was a flurry of cutlery, cups, butter, green beans, turkey, and candied potatoes. Draco had offered to help and he had found out where Hermione got her bossy disposition from. The woman had piled plates into his arms and sharp knives as well as some object that looked like it was for stabbing things. He had set it all up. Hermione had given him a full blown grin when she saw him participating, so he had, like a puppy looking for acceptance, gone back to Hermione's mum for more things to help with.

"Hermione! I didn't know you would be here! I haven't seen you in years, dear." Draco watched as a tall black haired woman fawned over Hermione like she was a new toy. "You've grown so much! I'm guessing your grades are impeccable, right?" The woman raised a knowing brow and Hermione nodded with a smile. "I'll go help your mum in the kitchen. Most likely she's gone overboard with the cooking." A pair of hazel eyes rolled and Hermione laughed in agreement. "But we'll catch up later."

Hermione approached him and he gave her a small smile. "I promise they'll love you." She touched her chin thoughtfully then spoke again, as an afterthought, "Except my uncles may take a bit." He didn't look in the least bit worried because he really didn't care. She was happy, so he was happy too. Hermione's hand snaked around his neck and she pulled him to her. "Thank you for being here," she whispered in his ear, standing on her toes so she could reach. His arms wrapped around her waist.

"Of course." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before dancing out of his embrace to open the door for the newcomers.

"My little niece! Andrea hadn't told me you'd be here!" A burly looking man with brown curly hair pulled Hermione into a hug, his arms engulfing her tiny form completely. "You look so beautiful. I always knew you'd grow up to be a looker."

Draco agreed with the man. Hermione did look beautiful in the burnt red dress she was wearing. It was long sleeved, but dove downward near her spine until it hit the middle of her back. It fell modestly to her knees and her feet were in a pair of deep blue flats. All of the material was held close to her body with a thin belt the same blue shade as her shoes. She looked so perfect in it with her hair left down and completely crazy just like he liked it. She'd tried putting it up in the morning but, to her chagrin, he'd plucked the clip away and ran his fingers through her hair until it was sufficiently messy looking. He'd kissed her after that and she stopped protesting, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

A woman with bright red hair appeared next to the large man, towing a sleepy looking child beside her. "Oh, Hermione! You remember Jack, don't you?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded and leaned down to better look at the child. "Jack, you've lost a tooth since I last saw you, love. Did the tooth fairy pay you well?" At that, the child woke from his zombie-like slumber.

"Yeah, 'Mione! I lost two teeth since then! I got pretty coins for them! Dad said they're from Germany." Hermione smiled in amusement and nodded her head at the right times as Jack went on about his new pet cat name Pilfer. "Hey, 'Mione, who's that?" A little finger pointed right at him and Draco sighed, knowing it was time to come out of hiding.

Hermione looked back and smiled. "That's my boyfriend." The burly man squinted. "Uncle Dominic…." She started as a warning, noticing the mischievous glint in his eyes. She knew full well the types of things he could do when he wanted to embarrass someone.

"Oh, don't worry, Hermione. I'm waiting for Sam and Liam to get here before I interrogate him." The man she called Dominic shot him a smile that instantly reminded him of a shark. His teeth were perfect and the quirk of his lips was impish and challenging. "We won't do too much damage, I promise. We just have to make sure he's alright for you."

Draco snorted to himself. He'd like to see him even try to get into his head. His father had taught him how to remain outwardly emotionless and indifferent. It was an easy enough skill to call upon when talking to new people who didn't know your quirks and ticks. As for seeing if he was right for her… That was just a joke. Draco had been _made_ for her. Everything about him was right for her. That was why she was his Mate.

Hermione rolled her eyes and ushered them into the great room where Jack plopped himself on the couch. "'Mione, can I have a drink. Please?" The child puckered his lips in a pout that female-kind found irresistible.

"Of course, Jack. Would you like spiced milk?" The boy nodded enthusiastically and she laughed and made her way into the kitchen which now resembled a warzone.

The doorbell rang. "Draco, could you get that for me?" He ignored the looks that Hermione's uncle and, presumably, aunt, gave him.

"Sure." He trekked to the door and opened it widely, motioning for the two females to come in. Instead they stood there dumbly, staring at him.

"My God, Imogen, look at that." A girl about his age was standing there, gaping. Her companion nudged her, looking embarrassed by her cousin's words.

"Yes, Ella. That is what's called another person. You're being rude." Imogen shoved Ella inside, shivering at the cold wind that nipped at her nose.

Ella seemed to snap out of her trance. "Sorry about that." She held out her glove clad hand. "My name is Ella Granger."

Draco had been raised to kiss a lady's hand when it was offered. But he just couldn't for some reason. He's used to do it in an effort to seduce girls. Now he did it so he could see Hermione blush or hear her sigh in contentment. So, he shook Ella's hand instead. Of course he didn't know that in the Muggle world it was normal for men to shake hands with women. And oddly enough, she didn't look affronted by his lack of romanticism. Rather, she blushed and he could feel her pulse quicken even through the thick woolen fabric of her gloves. He disengaged himself from her hand after what felt like much too long for him.

Where was Hermione at?

The other girl turned to him and held out her hand, looking a lot less like a star struck fool. "I'm Imogen Granger. And you are…" She trailed off at the ending and he berated himself for his lack of manners.

"My apologies. I'm Draco Malfoy." Thankfully, her pulse didn't jump under his touch or anything. Though she did look surprised by his formal etiquette. Or maybe it was his name… Who knew?

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you here with?" Imogen seemed polite enough so he didn't deny her an answer.

"Hermione."

Ella gawped at him again and even Imogen seemed a bit taken aback. "There's only one Hermione here, right?" He nodded in affirmation. Ella shook her head as if in a state of incredulousness. Imogen just shrugged as if she had better things to be worrying about than who's dating who.

"Come on, Ella. Let's go see if Aunt Andrea needs any help." By the grace of Merlin, Imogen took Ella away to the kitchen.

Hermione came around the corner and skidded to a stop in front of him. Her cheeks were flushed from being in the hot kitchen and her hair looked like he'd run his fingers through it for hours. He grinned to himself; perfect. He pulled her close. Hermione gave him a bright smile and he breathed in her normal scent of lilacs mixed in with cooking spices, sweet biscuits, and savory sauces. He leaned down and hid his face in her neck, placing soft kisses on her skin. She shivered at his touches and he brought her closer to him with a gentle push on her bare back. His fingers felt around the edge of the hem of the dress on her back, tracing the scoop shape with feather light caresses. "Did I tell you that you look beautiful yet?" He questioned while pressing a kiss just under her ear.

"No." Her voice was soft and breathy.

"Well, you look beautiful Hermione. So pretty and you're all mine." She blushed and nodded, causing his lips to brush up and down her throat. Her hands on his shoulders danced upwards to settle on the nape of his neck where her warm fingers played with his hair.

The doorbell rang and she jumped out of his embrace like a scared animal. Her fingers ran through her hair as if to smooth it. Draco merely watched her in amusement. She was so sweet in every way imaginable.

"Aunt Maia!" Hermione said, trying to look as if she was completely calm when he could feel that she was actually quite jumpy.

"Oh, Hermione." Hermione's aunt pulled her away from him and gave her a tight hug. "Yeah sweetie, as if I couldn't see you through the door. Frosted glass my bum." Maia laughed and pulled away, noticing the blush on Hermione's face. "Oh, there's no need to be blushing. I always knew you'd get yourself someone cute." The feisty short woman turned to Draco. "You, dear, are fortunate to be dating my niece." He nodded, in complete agreement.

"Go on doing what you were doing. I'll keep your mum distracted. Or Richard. Poor man should've known this would be coming." Maia shot them both a knowing smile and slid into the other rooms.

"She likes you." Hermione stated, worming her way back into his arms.

"Well that's good." He settled his hands on her hips and finally kissed her on the lips. She sighed happily and wound her arms around his neck. One of his hands moved to cup her cheek and his fingers gently stroked her soft skin. The other one moved to wrap around her waist so she was right against him. Hermione's fingers were in his hair and she held him tightly to her, silently telling him to deepen to kiss. Draco let his tongue trace the supple skin of her bottom lip, subtly taking in the sweet taste of her skin.

"Oi! Little cousin's having herself a snog." The door swung open and a pair of teenage boys were standing there, grinning.

Hermione pulled away from Draco and heat spread over her cheeks. "Justin! Maddox… Hi." Their grins widened as she scrambled for words.

"Well hello, Hermione. Seeing as you're… predisposed…. We'll talk later." The two walked off, snickering to themselves like a pair of evil little elves.

Hermione turned to Draco and sighed. "I don't think we'll be getting any time alone." Draco smirked and brushed her hair away from her face. "Those two are twins. They are a lot like the Weasley twins, I suppose. Don't listen to anything they say, just don't." He nodded and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She sighed again, this time it sounded more exasperated than anything. "I'm sorry that people keep interrupting us."

"It's kind of inevitable, love." She laughed and laid her head on his chest.

"You're right." Draco stroked her hair and back, loving the feel of her bare skin on the tips of his fingers. There was another knock at the door, and this time Hermione didn't jump. She merely pulled Draco with her and opened the door.

"Hermione!" A pair of brown eyes slid from Hermione to Draco and he gave an easy smile. The woman smiled back and shifted to let her husband come in. "Hermione, this is your baby cousin, Adele." The woman reached back and took the tiny baby from her husband's arms. The woman watched as Hermione's smile became soft. "Would you like to hold her?" Hermione's eyes lit up and she held out her arms which were instantly filled with the small child.

"Oh, Aunt Mary, she's so beautiful!" Hermione cooed as the baby grabbed at her long hair. She stuck it in her mouth and Hermione tugged it out lightly. "Oh no, you can't have that." Her brown eyes met Draco's and he could read the joy in them. "Draco, isn't she so adorable?"

"Yes, she is." Draco reached out hesitantly and touched the baby's hand. The tiny hand wrapped around his finger and it too was put in the baby's mouth. Hermione laughed loudly at the incredulous look on his face.

"Awh, no, Adele." She pulled his finger out of Adele's mouth and pursed her lips in a horrible attempt to hide her laughter. Draco shrugged and wiped his finger on a handkerchief in his pocket. The baby gurgled and nestled closer to Hermione's chest as if searching for something. "Ah, Aunt Mary, I think she's hungry." She flushed and her aunt just laughed and waved her hand airily before taking the baby back and going to search for somewhere to feed her baby.

Hermione's uncle finally spoke, "It's good to see you, 'Mione." His hand rested on her head for a moment and she gave him a bright smile.

"You too, Uncle Liam." She stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to the man's cheek. He grinned at her and gave Draco a parting look that said he would be accompanying Hermione's other uncles in the interrogation.

There was another knock and Hermione gave a faux exasperated groan.

"Hermione! My girl!" She was swept up into a new pair of arms and spun around. Her laughter was music to his ears. Draco could feel how happy she was to be in the dark haired man's arms. He made her feel safe; like a child again.

"Uncle Sam!" She giggled and the large man set her down gently.

"You look so amazing! You're a complete knockout! Smart and beautiful." His dark colored eyes slid over her and then to Draco.

"And this is the boy Dominic texted me about?" Draco was confused by the word 'texting' but shook it off. Hermione nodded and Sam grunted. "We'll have at him later then." He turned and started walking away. "Keep your hands off my niece." Draco made no response because that just wasn't going to happen.

"That should be all of them." Draco nodded and Hermione tugged him towards the kitchen where all of her family had seemed to congregate. Her warm hand found his and she smiled when his fingers caressed hers. Ella was eating a handful of crisps and Imogen was helping to set things on the table. All three of Hermione's uncles were standing around, looking as intimidating as an insulted hippogriff. Various aunts were crowded together, catching up on the things that happened to them recently.

Ella's eyes widened at the sight of Draco and Hermione standing next to each other, looking so comfortable together. She approached her cousin with a bounce in her step, her black high heeled shoes sinking into the plush carpet. "Hermione!"

Draco saw his Mate smile. "Ella. How have you been?"

"I've been fine. I'm in university right now."

"Oh, that's great." Ella gave an enthusiastic smile, showing her perfectly shaped teeth.

"You've changed so much, 'Mione. You don't even have those horrible teeth or bushy hair anymore!" Hermione's smile stiffened and her hand went slack in Draco's. He glared at Ella who took absolutely no notice to the coldness in his eyes. She merely kept grinning; completely ignorant as to how her words affected others. She was rather like that Lavender bint. She didn't think before she spoke and unknowingly cut people down. Draco wanted to tell her that Ella was wrong and that even when she'd been that bushy haired girl, that she'd been cute. But he didn't want to cut into the conversation.

"Yes… Well… Having dentists as parents help." Ella nodded in understanding.

"We have so much to catch up on! I was actually going to get engaged but we broke it off because he felt that his job was more important." And just like that, Ella was off on her tangent. Hermione nodded when needed but Draco could see the interest slipping from her eyes.

"Hermione, we're going to need to borrow him." Sam put his large hand on Hermione's shoulder to get her attention. Dominic and Liam were behind him, looking an awful lot like Draco's own pair of old cronies.

His Mate looked up at him and he saw the anxiety in them. Draco leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth. He wasn't going to stop being close to her just because of a few guys who were trying to intimidate him. "I'll be back soon." She nodded and reluctantly let go of his hand. He left her with Ella who was giving him a sympathetic smile, like she wasn't expecting to see him come back alive or something.

And Hermione was then left with Ella who jabbered on about her past boyfriends, clothes shopping sprees, and university life.

oOo

Draco followed after the three men. Sam and Dominic were sharing wicked little smiles and Liam walked slowly, his face impassive. They stopped in the spare bedroom, which Draco was supposed to have occupied. They took in the neat bed and lack of clothing in the closet, and then looked at each other.

"What did you say your name was?"

Draco hadn't told them his name. He didn't bother mentioning that fact, lest he come off as a smart mouthed brat. "Draco Malfoy."

"That's an odd name, isn't it?" He remained composed. Jabs at his name were completely normal. He had his dear father to blame for that.

"I suppose."

"And where did you sleep last night, Draco?" Ah, he couldn't exactly lie, now could he? They would find out that he lied if they talked to Hermione's parents. And where would that leave him? They'd think of him as a liar… Who wanted their niece with a con artist in training?

"With Hermione." Oh, and there went the uproar.

"What?", and then "You slept in her bed?" finishing off with a look of disapproval from Liam. Draco simply nodded, shaking off the arctic scowls he was receiving. "And why did you do that?" Dominic seemed to be a little more levelheaded than Sam. Liam gave off the impression of a man of few words but deep thoughts and emotions. He was the kind of person that everyone stopped to listen to when he actually did speak.

"There are various reasons that are only between Hermione and me." And her parents… But he left that part out.

"Give us a reason."

Draco bit the inside of his cheek then spoke, "I like having her next to me." They still didn't look approving, but only slightly appeased. It's not like he said he slept next to her because he was a sexual deviant who couldn't go without touching her. Rather, his answer was innocent enough. Draco did like, no, _love¸_ having Hermione next to him.

"If Hermione came in here right now and told you she was pregnant, what would you say?" He let out a sardonic laugh; that question was completely random and stereotypical. Did they think that just because he was a teenage boy that he'd had sex with her? It was a sad misconception that all teenage boys couldn't handle themselves around pretty girls. Of course, he wasn't exactly the best example of self control with his past with other females. But that had been before Hermione. He hadn't had respect for any of those other girls. They were expendable; there for him to use and toss away like yesterday's news. Hermione wasn't like that. She was _made_ for him to cherish.

"That would be impossible."

They all gave looks of incredulousness and Draco internally smiled. "We haven't made love yet."

Liam's eyebrow rose at Draco's tender use of words while Sam and Dominic burst out laughing. "Yeah. Right. How long have you two been together?"

"Over a month." More laughing and tears of mirth.

"As I said; yeah right. Our 'Mione is beautiful. You've been resisting _that_? I doubt it." Dominic shook his head, smirking, and took a seat on the blue couch that was right in front of the stone fireplace.

"I'm well aware that she's beautiful. But I respect her." Liam nodded in approval. His brothers looked at him; taking in his expression. They all had a tendency to see Liam's point of view on things due to the fact that the man was so insightful and sensible. If he believed Draco was actually being truthful, they went with it.

"Do you want children someday?"

A nostalgic sort of smile found its way onto his lips. "Yes. I want at least two." He felt no need to be distant towards Hermione's family, for hopefully they would be his family as well. "In my family line, each generation has never had more than one child. I always wanted a sibling, and I know Hermione was lonely too." They all nodded at his answer.

"Does your family like Hermione?" Dominic asked, making himself comfortable on the couch by squirming around and adjusting the pillows.

"My mother loves Hermione." Draco smiled to himself as he remembered his mum's anecdotes about her future grandchildren. She loved to tease him because she felt like he had missed out on all those mother-son type things when he was younger. While he adored her for it, he dearly hoped Hermione never found out that his mum wanted six grandchildren. She may never let him touch her if she caught wind of that.

"Your father?"

All traces of humor were gone from his face, replaced with a stoic, diplomatic look. "He's dead."

They didn't say anything to that, sensing that Draco's father wasn't a topic the boy liked to discuss.

"If you two were to get married tomorrow, would you be able to provide for her?"

Draco gave a cryptic smiled and repressed the urge to snort in an undignified manner. "I assure you I'd be able to let her live a _very _comfortable life. Hermione would never have to work a day in her life if she didn't want to." All three of her uncles looked pleased with that bit.

"What are you going to do after you graduate?"

"It's up to Hermione. If she has no qualms with it, I'll inherit the family company. If she wants to live in the country and do nothing, we can do that too." Merlin, he could see it inside his mind; Hermione amongst flowers in a simple sundress, him simply by her side. The sun would be their backdrop along with a small stone cottage where they could raise their children in peace and quiet. It would be so perfect and quintessentially Hermione.

"What does you company do?" Sam asked in curiosity, dragging Draco from his thoughts. It was obvious to him that Draco was born into a wealthy family. He talked like an aristocrat, stood like an aristocrat, and he dressed like an aristocrat. If Sam didn't know his niece better, he'd suspect that Draco's money was the attraction. But his Hermione was into brains and cleverness, not looks and money. Though, Draco was obviously attractive in a physical sense, if the looks Ella and Imogen had given him were anything to go by.

Draco paused, grappling for what Hermione had said the Muggle terms for potions were… "We do research in pharmaceuticals and investments in all sorts of other companies." They looked impressed at that.

"And you'll be able to take that on right after graduation? How good _are_ your grades?"

At that, Draco grinned. "I'm second only to Hermione. And, yes, I'm qualified to take on the company. My father brought me into it at a young age, teaching me about finances and how medicines work." In truth, Lucius had taught him how to harass the secretaries and always get his way. But there had been side lessons about handling money and the importance of presenting the company as a respectable one, no matter how corrupt the workers were. Of course, at the time, it had been a huge employer for Voldemort's followers. Draco had fired almost everyone with ties to the Dark Lord if they weren't already in Azkaban. 

Each of Hermione's uncles looked satisfied.

"You seem so sure Hermione's going to stick around. What do you have to offer her that she can't find with someone else?" Those were the first words Liam had spoken to Draco. His brothers seemed surprised he was actually participating in their little grilling session. Liam had always been more of the silent input type.

Draco, on the other hand, didn't seem all that shocked. Liam clearly loved Hermione very much and wanted the best for her. "As I said, I can give her a comfortable life. She's free to approach any job because carrying my family name opens lots of opportunities. I hope that Hermione stays with me, because I love her and I want her to be with me until we both die." Draco fought off a smug look. Hermione was already his in a mental sense. The physical form of their veela/mate relationship was on hold, but it _would_ happen. That was one of the things that kept his veela side sane.

"Would you, if put in a dangerous situation, die for her?"

They all thought it was such an intense question. Most people were selfish and would say no. But Draco answered without the slightest hesitation or waver in his voice, "In less than a heartbeat."

Sam, Dominic, and Liam all looked at each other and nodded to themselves. They didn't doubt Draco. He seemed so… _intent_.

Liam was the first to approach him. "Welcome to the family, Draco." They shook hands and Draco praised Merlin that Hermione's uncles seemed to like him. Even if she didn't see them often, he could tell they were important to her. And, just like with Potter and Ginny, if they were important to Hermione, they were important to him.

There was a timid knock on the door and Dominic opened it, revealing a flustered Hermione. "Did you finally escape Ella's clutches?" he asked in amusement. He knew well that his other niece was one who could go on and on without ever stopping to take a breath between words. He'd been subjected to her prattling on many occasions. And those _riveting_ conversations were usually composed of facts about her new favorite makeup, hair products, and university boys. Not to say the girl was an airhead… She was going into teaching. But her natter was sorely repetitive.

"It wasn't that bad." Hermione defended her cousin, but all the signs of boredom were evident in her face. She simply wasn't about all those girly things. Books offered her comfort, not a new pair of jeans that cost more than her entire wardrobe.

"Sure it wasn't, love." They all gave her affectionate smiles and ushered her into the room. "We were just welcoming Draco into the family." Hermione's gaze snapped from her uncles to Draco; her eyes roaming as if she was searching for bruises. When she found no physical damage, she finally met his attentive stare. His irises were still their normal arctic ice color, so she felt herself relax. She had been worrying they would do something to make him angry, especially Sam. He tended to get a little irrational at times.

"That's good." Draco reached out and touched her hand. Being away from her for even the shortest amount of time made him anxious. Even if he knew she was safe and well, he liked it better when his Mate was close enough for him to feel.

Hermione gave him a smile which he returned fully. He usually didn't show his emotions so blatantly… But it was for her, and only her that he smiled. And by the love he felt from her, she knew it too.

"Mum says everything is ready. She was just waiting for you four." Hermione's uncles filed out, each touching her shoulder or ruffling her hair in a show of affection. The veela/mate couple followed after them, down the stairs and into the crowded and loud room. Scents of all sorts of food attacked Draco's senses; everything from sweet dessert pies to squash in spices. Voices mingled into a dull hum in his ears.

"There you lot are." Andrea looked at her brothers then to Draco and Hermione. It seemed as if everything went alright with them. She had had a feeling that they would accept Draco. He was very… absorbed in Hermione. They had to have seen that even if they knew nothing about him being a veela. "Take your seats." She watched in amusement as Ella, her eldest niece of twenty-two tried to get a seat next to Draco. The boy didn't even seem to notice her advances, or if he did he was taking great care not to be irritated by them. Or he was just so immersed in Hermione that all other females were nothing. Andrea rather hoped it was the latter. Ella settled for a seat next to Hermione, looking rather disgruntled.

Draco pulled out Hermione's chair, ignoring the looks of shock from her aunts and uncles. Hermione gave him a smile as he sat next to her, their hands immediately finding each other's. Everyone else followed their lead and filled up the chairs. Little Jack immediately dug into his food which his mother had put on his plate for him. The twins, Maddox and Justin, also tucked in to their meals enthusiastically. Draco winced when he saw that Justin's table manners resembled those of Weasley. Hermione merely laughed at the minor look of disgust on his face. She was so used to it.

Conversations picked up from all corners of the table, some about business and others about school.

Ella watched Draco with wide eyes. She looked from her cousins across the table then back to him. There wasn't food falling out of his mouth nor did he chew and talk. "Hermione," She nudged her female cousin, "You're still a bookworm, no?" Her cousin nodded stiffly. "Then how the heck did you get him? He eats like…_royalty_." She didn't notice the embarrassed flush that rose from Hermione's neck and to her cheeks.

Draco watched the entire exchange with a front of disinterest. But once he felt the small bit of insecurity enter Hermione, he jumped in. "Ella… I like to think I'm the lucky one here. I've got someone brilliantly perfect, you see." He said it so matter-of-fact that no one doubted that he saw Hermione as 'brilliantly perfect'. He saw a whole new kind of blush on her face and smiled triumphantly, his fingers softly soothing hers.

"Ah, you're a flatterer." Maddox grinned at his favorite cousin to tease; Hermione.

Cool grey eyes met his dark shaded ones. "I only say what's needed." Maddox quirked an eyebrow. Draco was odd… He had this look to him of a person who had seen a great amount of suffering. Now that he looked at Hermione, she had that same look. It was a hardness in their eyes, a quickness in their reflexes.

"You wouldn't happen to play football? Or have a favorite team, would you?" He had to play some sort of sport… He looked too toned to be a lazy bum.

Draco stiffened, uncertain of specific teams. He'd never gotten into Muggle sports despite his vast knowledge of other Muggle things. His mother had made sure he knew plenty of things about the 'Magicless folk' so he wouldn't end up like his father and be ignorant of the great things Muggles did. They had good music for one thing…

Hermione saw the blankness enter Draco's eyes and covered for him. "Draco isn't that into sports."

Justin laughed suddenly. "So that's why you and Hermione get along so well. You're a booky too." He shook his head in amusement. "We always tried to teach her football. She was much better as a ballerina." He saw the harsh look in Hermione's eyes, she was begging him not to tell all of the embarrassing stories he knew.

"Yes… well… He _does_ have the second best grades in school." Hermione offered to the rapt crowd. All eyes were on the young couple, their gazes imploring.

"Who has the best?" Her dark haired aunt asked out of pure curiosity.

"Hermione does." Draco looked down at his Mate, his eyes full of pride.

Her aunt snorted delicately. "Of course. Stupid question."

"A ballerina?" Draco whispered in her ear, his eyes teasing. She pursed her lips and nodded reluctantly. "That must have been adorable." Hermione shook her head 'no', her eyes wide in disagreement.

"Oh yes, she was the cutest ballerina _ever_." Maddox raved.

Hermione put up with the stories her family supplied Draco with. He took each of them in, amusement clear on his face as he was told about Hermione's cookie baking mishaps when she had been eight. Poor kid still had a scar.

oOoOo

A/N: The last time I'd been over someone's house for Thanksgiving had been when I was eight or nine. I remember sitting on my cousin's lap and trying to pick out a gingerbread man to eat. I always thought my cousin was so pretty. She has a baby now. All of my cousins are a good 6-10 or more years older than me. My family members don't really converse, so it's always just my mum, dad, siblings, and I for Thanksgiving. I wish I could go back to when we would all have a huge meal together and shove aside trivial things and just eat together. I'm being naive of course, but one can dream, no?

By the way, has anyone else seen the Deathly Hallows part one? I went to see it in IMAX on the 19th. It was… intense… Tell me what you thought of it! I personally hated where they ended it… But it had to be done…


	17. Tie It Up

A/N: Okay, so this is a mini chapter, if you will. It is very important and you will see why as you read on. I hope you enjoy it. I find it to be sweet. It takes place the day after Hermione and Draco get back from Hermione's house. So, they still have clearance to go outside of school. But you'll see…. Oh, and I have awesome news! My article for the newspaper I write for made front page! I was ecstatic! My mum bought a few copies because she's sentimental and all that.

Chapter dedicated to: kardashiana! Thank you _so_ much for being so sweet to me! And thanks to everyone who has put me on their favorites and watch lists. I'm so grateful to all of you, truly.

oOoOo

**Chapter 16**

'**Tie It Up'**

Something had been brewing inside of Draco's head ever since Hermione's father had said it.

"_So you're subjecting my daughter to fornication?" _

It had planted itself in his mind and burrowed in like a nasty, festering pest. That thought kept him awake with its incessant echoing.

Hence why he was watching her sleep.

She was… good. She wasn't like anyone else he had ever met before, mate situation aside. Her smiles were innocent and her movements were so subtly alluring. Hermione was unaware of the grace she held and how every breath she took _attracted_ him. Watching her walk made him lustful and she didn't even realize it. Kissing her was an insane rush of emotions that tied to each other in a crescendo of desire and tenderness.

Hermione was honestly good, and he didn't want to take that from her. Well, he did… That he couldn't deny. But he didn't want her to somehow lower her own moral value. Sure, she had injured people in war and even killed to save her friends, but she was still so pure. The innocence around her was like an aura that he bathed in daily. It was tangible and everyone around her basked in it, whether they realized it or not. She had forgiven him for all of the horrible things he'd done to her without batting an eyelash or throwing a painful punch which he veritably deserved. Hermione was simply perfect in his eyes. And, yes, he knew that no one was perfect. But she had to be the closest thing to perfection on earth.

Draco wanted to show her somehow that, despite their need to have sex outside of marriage, she would always be the same virtuous woman she was now. He wanted to give her a symbol of her importance to him and how much he adored her.

There was a deep inhale from next to him and Draco stopped stroking her hair, simply watching as she woke from her deep slumber. Hermione's arms moved from his chest as she stretched them high above her head, yawning like a cat would after a long nap. His eyes followed the delicate curves of her arched wrists and thin arms. He loved those arms. He loved it when they wrapped around his neck as they kissed. Her dark eyes opened and she blinked sleepily. He loved her eyes just as much. No, he wouldn't be a sop and say they were his favorite feature about her. Because he didn't have a favorite feature. All of her was beautiful, and every bit of her came together and formed the woman he loved. But if he _really_ had to choose a favorite physical feature, he'd pick her body. A bit counterproductive, no?

"Welcome to the world of the living." He murmured, his hands working their way into her hair once again. He couldn't keep himself from touching her for too long, especially not when she was so close. Hermione smiled at him and, Merlin help him, he found his very breath stolen from his lungs. How cheesy is that? But that was what she did to him. She left him speechless and it was a lovely sort of delirium that sent his soul singing.

"It's nice to be living." She said cheekily as she leaned closer to kiss him. Draco chuckled and kissed her back slowly, letting himself take his sweet time. He wanted to relish in the feeling of her lips against his. They were so soft, conforming to his perfectly. Hermione sighed happily and relaxed fully into him. He pulled her on top of him and continued to languorously kiss her. Her weight was solid against him, not heavy, but comforting. Her soft breathes tickled his face as she pulled away for air. "What are we doing today?"

He gave her a small smile. "_I_ have to go out of school to get something."

She frowned and he knew she was trying hard to repress the urge to ask him what he was getting. Hermione was just a curious girl by nature. "Oh, okay."

"I promise I'll be back soon."

Hermione's smile was tight with inquisitiveness and she slid off of Draco. "Can we at least have breakfast together first?" He nodded and watched as she hunted for a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She pulled off the long-sleeved shirt she had been wearing and slipped a dark blue sweater on. His grey eyes softened. He liked that she was so comfortable around him. Sure, there was a lacy cami under her sleep shirt, but it still showed him that she wasn't completely awkward about him seeing her in less than a normal amount of clothing. "Draco, have you seen my light jeans?"

"They're in my room." She nodded and skipped off to his room, in search of her missing clothes. Draco smiled to himself and got up from her bed and stretched his own arms out.

They'd taken to trading off on whose room they slept in. Hermione liked sleeping in his room because she said it smelled like him all over. And he, to be honest with himself, rather liked seeing her curled up in his silver sheets that contrasted against her dark hair and made her skin seem even tanner than normal. Her scent sank into his bed and, on the one occasion where he had to sleep alone, it was like she was right there next to him.

Hermione came back into her room wearing her favorite pair of lightwash jeans and her hair pulled up into a messy bun. Draco pouted to himself and pulled the hair tie out. "Draco!" She protested loudly, turning around and snatching the fastener back.

"I thought you'd have learned by now to never put your hair up." He said as he tugged her strands gently.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's easier to deal with when it's up." He pulled her closer and muttered something along the lines of 'don't care' against her lips. And, yes, his hands were lost in her hair the way they were supposed to be. She kissed him back smilingly and he fed off of her amusement. Both of her arms locked around his neck and she dragged his head down to hers for a deeper kiss. Draco's neck protested. Hermione was so darn short. So, lest he develop a crick in his neck, he moved his hands to wrap his arms around her just below her bum and lifted her until their height difference was diminished. She gasped and unthinkingly wrapped her legs around his waist.

As if he'd ever let her fall.

Draco groaned at the new contact and pulled away breathlessly. Her lips kissed his again softly before moving on to his cheeks and forehead, ending at the tip of his nose. She took deep breathes and fisted his hair, all the while planting tender kisses on his hairline and in his hair, thanks to her taller height. "I thought you had something to do today." She said; her voice detached and airy. Draco nodded but didn't put her down. He liked the way holding her felt too much to let go just yet. Hermione sensed this and didn't try getting away, she merely nuzzled against him and offered up a soft smile which he returned; his eyes still closed in contentment.

After long moments and their heartbeats synchronizing, Draco finally let her down. His face was buried in her neck and she could feel his smile against the skin of her neck. It was infectious and her own smile grew wider. A laugh bubbled in her chest and escaped from her parted lips.

"Why are you laughing?" He questioned in amusement, his nose skimming her neck as his lips left small kisses in its wake.

"No reason." She shook her head and nestled in his arms and his bare chest which she promptly poked.

"What was that for?" He asked; his tone a dead giveaway that told her that he, too, was trying to fight off laughter.

"I thought we were going to eat." She said, accusing.

"Alright, alright." Draco gave her a kiss and went off to change his own clothes.

oOo

Breakfast was a rather short ordeal because there were so few people back from holidays. There was no Potter or Weasley to ask him what he was leaving for. Or Ginny giving him ominous knowing smiles. She would've called his bluff the second she looked into his eyes. She was much more perceptive than Hermione's other friends.

Hermione assured him it was a female thing.

"So…Where are you going for this… _thing_?"

"I don't really know." Draco said, looking up from buttering his toast. It was the honest truth. Where did one go to get something just right? It could take days or weeks. But he had this feeling that there was something out there that would be perfect for her. And, no, it wouldn't be an heirloom. That just felt too… _typical_. Of course, he knew she'd love some of the things he'd inherited, but none of them would fit her. They were, as a couple, something new in his family line. Hermione was the first non-Pureblood to marry into the Malfoy family. Some may think that he was showing the world she wasn't worth his name by not giving her an heirloom as all the previous wives had received. But the way he looked at it, it was the exact opposite. She was above all the previous woman, save for his mother. And there would be no emeralds. That was overdone. Draco knew she liked green. And he quite liked green _on _her. But he wanted to have something she would really, really and truly love. Emeralds had been given to new wives in his family since the Malfoy line had begun. They all were Slytherins after all. Hermione would want something different than that. She was a _very _proud Gryffindor, not some brainless Pureblood girl who'd been raised to obey another's every whim. No white diamonds either. They were impersonal and predictable. She deserved better than something so normal and average. Hermione, herself, wasn't normal and average like all the other wives had been. She was fiery and passionate and _alive_.

"What is this thing you're looking for?"

Draco watched in amusement as she tried to hide her curiosity. It was – there was that unmanly word – adorable. "I don't know that either. It'll just click when I find it." She nodded but looked extremely dissatisfied with his answer.

It was rare for them to be apart for more than a few hours. They shared almost all of their classes, and even then it was only an hour they were separate. For rounds they were together of the time. When either of them had to tutor younger students, the other would come and 'help'. Draco hated being apart from Hermione and she was curious as to why he was _willingly_ leaving her. She didn't want to pry or come across like some untrusting girlfriend. She was honestly only curious. She didn't mind at all… but it was so odd for him to want to leave her side. They were so comfortable next to each other that no matter what they were doing, they seemed to gravitate towards the other. And from what she'd read, Draco would suffer from being apart from her too long. They'd never tested how long they could be apart because Hermione couldn't stand the idea of putting him through unneeded stress. Although, after consummation, he would be able to be away from her for a longer amount of time. But if that time lapsed for too long, he'd become withdrawn and depressed. She hoped he'd never have to feel like that.

Draco stood and held out his hand to help her up. "I'll be back soon." Hermione nodded and he leaned down to give her a quick kiss which she eagerly responded to. Her hands rested on his broad shoulders and his right one sat on her hip while the other delved into her hair and cupped her neck. Her lips parted and his tongue caressed the wet seam of them.

Low wolf whistles sounded and Hermione pulled away, a bright red flush on her cheeks. Several Ravenclaws were giving them knowing grins and Draco's fellow Slytherins had their smirks in place. No, they hadn't accepted Hermione. But they had got it into their minds that there was nothing they could do about their relationship, so the majority of them laid off on the cruel sniggers and such. Most of the girls were bitter, save for the younger years who actually looked up to him for breaking his Malfoy-mold and dating a Muggleborn.

"I love you." Draco nodded brightly and gave her one last kiss on the forehead before turning and leaving.

oOo

His search in wizarding London proved to be fruitless. Muggle London was the same. Numerous jewelry stores had amazing things that could take someone's breath away. Diamonds the size of bird's eggs and amethysts of every variety and color had been put into ring, necklace, and bracelet settings.

But none of them had screamed _'Hermione!'_ to him.

In Paris there had been beautiful rings in platinum with aquamarines, but they just weren't good enough. Prague, Lisbon, Madrid, and a seedy looking place in Russia had been unrewarding trips as well. They all boasted great jewelry yet he couldn't find a single thing there that looked liked something Hermione would love and cherish.

During one hour in Italy, he'd found that his family name carried a lot of weight in the weirdest places. He'd also found the most amazing little piece of regalia that he _knew_ his dear Mate would adore.

_(Flashback)_

Draco was beyond frustrated.

Every place he'd gone to had pretty things. No, they were undeniably beautiful artifacts fit for a queen.

The small bell rang, announcing his arrival and an old bearded man shuffled from behind the counter.

"Ciao, come stai?" The man had a gruff, deep voice but a kind, wrinkled face with twinkling dark brown eyes. Draco thought he faintly resembled Dumbledore.

"Lo sto bene, grazie." His eyes roamed over the glass cases filled with lavish items from the Regency era to modern day. Foreign made necklaces from Egypt were nestled in dark blue velvet, looking much like they'd once belonged on the neck of a pharaoh. French filigree bracelets were shown off on glass models of wrists.

"Mr. Malfoy?" His English was heavily accented with Italian.

Draco's eyes snapped back to the old man, his brow furrowed in surprise. "Yes." He said hesitantly. He didn't remember ever meeting this man who knew his name without him ever telling it to him. Normally if strangers knew him, it was because his father had done something to their family or intimidated them somehow. But this man was a Muggle who lived too far into the country to have been affected by the war. And he didn't seem the type to get caught up in the late Lucius' meddling.

"The last time I saw you, you were only this high." The man motioned to his hips and gave a small smile. "You look so much like your father. He'd been in here to buy something for the signora."

Draco's jaw locked at the mention of his father, but he supplied a cool look to the man who'd done him no wrong. "Yes... I can't say I remember being in here though."

The man waved his hand casually, his dark green button up shirt ruffling. "You wouldn't. You weren't here for more than a moment. But your father had been in here many times." Draco nodded and approached the impeccably cleaned glass cases. "What is it that you're looking for, maschio?"

"I actually don't know." Draco admitted; his gaze still fixed on all the tiny trinkets that were beautifully polished with caring hands.

The man smiled knowingly and rounded back to his counter. "May I ask who you're looking to get something for?"

"My girlfriend."

Another knowing smile, this one softer and more open. "What is the occasion?"

"There is none, really. I just want it to be… something to show her how much she means to me. I'd love for it to be an engagement ring as well. But it doesn't have to be. I just want something perfect for her." He answered truthfully.

"Ah… What is your girlfriend like?"

Draco wanted to say perfect, he really did. But that wouldn't be much help, now would it? "She's fiery and intelligent beyond belief. I can honestly say that there isn't a kinder or better person in existence. She's also the most beautiful woman alive."

The shopkeeper grinned brightly, showing off surprisingly white teeth. "Any specifications?"

"I don't want anything with emeralds or white diamonds. They're too cold and wouldn't suit her at all." There was a slight nod from the man before he shambled over to a smaller, more understated glass box.

"This was made here in _Italia_ by a friend of mine who crafts jewelry reminiscent of Celtic royal pieces." The man handled the delicate ring with great care, cradling it in his weathered palm like one would support a newborn's head. "It _is _a diamond. But it is in no way cold. It's a champagne diamond from Australia. It was mined by a small family owned company who bring up some of the most beautiful diamonds I've ever seen. This particular one is 3.04 carats and set in white gold."

Draco peered into his hand and turned a questioning glance at the shopkeeper. He nodded and Draco picked up the thin band, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. His eyes took in every dip and ridge of the dainty ring. The detailing was exquisite; a clear example of painstaking craftsmanship and years of practicing the skill. When his grey eyes settled on the actual diamond, Draco's breath caught just a bit.

It was the exact shade of the expensive champagne his mother favored for her more extravagant parties. Or, more importantly, the shade of Hermione's eyes in the sunlight when she wore that pink silk shirt he loved. It was so clear, and the way it was cut made it look like a rose was hidden inside of it somewhere even though there obviously wasn't one. "It's perfect." He murmured, turning it to let the light shine on it at different angles. Rays of sunshine that crept in the thick-glassed windows bounced off of it in the most regal way that Draco just knew and this ring was it.

He looked up at the shopkeeper. "I'll take it."

The man's eyebrows rose. "Don't you want to know the price or sizing-?"

Draco cut him off with a shake of his head. "The price doesn't matter and the sizing will be perfect, I assure you." He thanked Merlin that his mother had taught him a bit about resizing spells and rare gems. She'd seen fit, once he reached the age of fourteen for him to learn all the particulars of perfect jewelry for women. At the time he'd thought it pointless and stupid to know such things.

"Alright. Then it will be 225,292 Euros." Most people would've had a heart attack or just fallen dead right there on the well kept oak floors. Draco didn't even bat an eyelash as he pulled out the one Muggle credit card he had. His mother had exchanged some of their money into Muggle money from different countries during the war in case they had needed to go underground. Luckily, that had never happened, but there was still a large chunk of money at his fingertips.

The shopkeeper put the ring in a small, black velvet box and handed it over to Draco. "Thank you Mr.," Draco trailed off.

"Carlo, just Carlo, maschio." Carlo offered a warm smile. "I hope she likes it and that she says yes."

Draco smiled back. "I'm hoping the same thing. And she's going to love it, I can tell." Hermione would love it as long as he didn't tell her the price. She would go on a rampage about how she didn't _need_ anything so expensive and big. He knew she'd be happy with something smaller and from within England, but he didn't care. She was his Mate and she, without a single doubt, deserved to have the best.

With that, Draco left.

_(End flashback)_

Now as he sat down on a bench in the middle of an empty Italian lane, Draco pulled out the ring to look at.

It really was a pretty piece of jewelry that would look perfect on her finger.

Making sure that no one was around, Draco pulled out his wand from his coat pocket and set the ring box on his knee. He cast basic protection charms on it as well as a reinforcement charm in case she got into some sort of scuffle. More technical charms would take a bit of research. He wanted her to be safe even when he wasn't with her. And that was one of the many beauties of buying Muggle jewelry; they didn't have charms or hexes fashioned into them.

Several enchanted pieces were in his family such as many of the engagement rings and necklaces. Some of them had dark curses on them that kept Muggles or non-Purebloods from touching them. His Aunt Andromeda had told him that Bellatrix used to take some of the Black family's necklaces and taunted little Muggle girls with them, saying they could borrow it or play with them. The poor girls had no idea that when that necklace went on their neck, it would choke them to death for being a Muggle. Bellatrix would laugh over their bodies and use them as practice targets for her spells and such.

That story had terrified Draco. If he gave Hermione something from his family, it could kill her. Thus the reason why Muggle jewelry was a perfect alternative to his family's heirlooms. Who knew what kind of things could happen to her? And, Muggles did make some pretty damn nice things.

Draco tucked his wand back into his pocket along with the box and apparated back to Hermione. He had this odd, niggling feeling; like he was missing something and needed to get back to it lest he become ill.

oOoOo

A/N: I hope you all liked this. And, yes, I am a jewelry enthusiast. I LOVE rings to death. I have a fetish for delicate and thin bands with precious gems on them. It's a weakness I suppose. Champagne diamonds are a favorite of mine. Some people think they look "muddy" or "dirty". I disagree wholeheartedly. They look like sunshine shining on this one creek I visit to have a picnic. Heh… Now I'm just being odd… But I think they're beautiful. And you lot will just have to wait for a bit. Draco isn't going to just give her the ring at some random time… Or is he…

Remember to leave a review! Every single one is responded to, and I love each of them. Oh, and also, the next chapter may take me a bit. I've hit a bit of a slump on it. Ugh.

Links for ring: I have separate links for the setting and actual gem. I couldn't find something _just_ right. Remember to remove the spaces. ;)

Gem: http:/ www. ninasjewellery. / products /rings /champagne-diamond-rings /010324/

Setting: http:/ /EGR3900BLW. html

Translations:

Ciao, come stai? – Hello, how are you?

Lo sto bene, grazie. – I'm fine, thank you.

Maschio - son


	18. Christmas

A/N: So here is the Christmas chapter. I'm sorry about the lateness of it…. Oh, and remember that I disregard the deaths of many characters from DH. I couldn't live without Severus because he is a favorite of mine. A word of… warning, I guess: Christmas is meant to be a happy time. But there are many occasions were holidays are bittersweet and riddled with memories of things in the past. People and places dredge up memories all the time.

While writing this I listened to: Halou's song 'I'll Carry You' and 'Just Say Yes' by Snow Patrol.

Chapter dedicated to: lilyforeva. It was awesome to get your review, luv.

oOoOo

**Chapter 17**

'**Christmas'**

"Mistress Malfoy, the guests have arrived."

Narcissa nodded and shot a smile to her son who grinned right back. Hermione looked confused.

Guests? She'd thought it was just going to be the three of them for Christmas.

There was a clambering noise and a well clothed house elf entered the room with two people behind it. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Madame."

"Hermione!" Andrea Granger came in wearing a pretty knee length dress and a huge smile. Richard stood slightly behind her, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a red button up shirt. He looked down at his daughter and gave a soft smile.

"Mum!" Hermione stood quickly and hugged her mother excitedly. She hadn't expected to see her until spring. "Why are you here?"

Andrea pulled away and gave a look of mock hurt. "Did you not want me here?" Hermione shook her head quickly and smiled brightly at her mother. "Draco asked us if we would like to join you guys for dinner."

Hermione turned to Draco with surprise evident in her eyes. "I thought you might want to see them for the holidays." He said, shrugging off her silent gratitude. He rather liked the emotional state she was in when she was around her parents. She felt safe and loved, and he wanted her to always feel that way.

Richard took his daughter into his arms and held onto her tightly. "You're growing up, aren't you?" Hermione frowned at his odd question. She nodded yes slowly and he pulled her back into a hug. Draco's eyes met her own brown ones and she saw something in them she couldn't quite recognize. Her dad held onto her for a moment longer before pushing her away gently and giving a small, odd looking smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger?" Narcissa stood from her chair and approached the two Muggles. She was adept at making conversation, so she dove headfirst into a chat with Hermione's parents. Pureblood supremacy be damned. These people would hopefully become her in-laws.

With the adults' attention averted towards introductions, Hermione and Draco shared a look.

Draco stood from his chair and moved closer to Hermione, no one taking notice to him as they were too caught up in their conversation. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. She smiled as she nestled into him. "They seem to be getting along well. They've forgotten all about us." They both laughed quietly and watched as Narcissa played the part of a friendly host. Draco murmured an 'oh well' and pressed a kiss to her temple. Warmth saturated his body from where they touched. The green cashmere of her sweater was undeniably soft against the pads of his fingers as he caressed her arm. He caught the content smile on her face and felt his veela hum in satisfaction.

While it was becoming more and more difficult for him to deny himself her warm body, Draco somehow held out.

Every tiny touch, soft sigh, and gentle kiss was stowed away in his memory and fueled to the every-growing inferno of his lust. But he made sure to be careful that she never noticed how his hands reached for her even as she walked away after a particularly intense snogging session. He knew that such intimacy made her slightly uncomfortable, so he tried his very hardest to abide by the silent rules they'd set up.

But, damn, was it difficult!

Draco just wanted to touch her, to feel her satiny skin against his. He lost sleep over the fitful dreams that invaded his mind. Dreams of her and him; _them_, together as a veela and mate were supposed to be.

All that aside, he was scraping by. He desperately hoped that she didn't notice the glamour charms he put on his face so the dark smudges under his eyes wouldn't be visible. She shouldn't have to worry over him. It was her choice and he was respecting it because he loved her. Feeling her next to him as he slept was enough to keep his emotions from bursting free like some sort of wild animal on a mission for blood. But it certainly wasn't enough to keep him from lusting after her and wanting more. More than the kisses, more than the feel of clothes against clothes.

The deep baritone of the Malfoy's head servant spoke, "Mistress Malfoy, the meal is served."

All talking ceased as Narcissa ushered everyone out of the room and into the overlarge dining area. The table was made of some sort of exotic wood. Expensive looking china was set out on top of what looked to be silk blended placemats in a shade of gold that reflected off the jade colored walls. Thin, filmy white drapes were arranged on each of the high windows; reaching from the wrought iron bars to the well polished marble floor. Heavier cream colored drapes were positioned to block just a bit of sun from the room.

Narcissa took a seat at the head of the table with Hermione and Draco to her left and the Granger parents to her right. They all proceeded to tuck in to their meals, each equipped with perfect table manners.

Silence settled over the group and Narcissa delicately cleared her throat, not wanting things to turn south so quickly.

"Draco, Hermione, has anything new happened at school?" Narcissa knew well the things that had happened. But she also knew that Hermione was reluctant to tell her parents about school and magic in attempts to shield them. As a mother herself, she knew that parents wanted to know every aspect of their child's life; the good things, the bad things, the things that make them cry, and the things that make them smile. She simply couldn't imagine what she would do if Draco shut her out. They had an open relationship or, at least as open as it could be with a mother and her teenage son. He told her things that bothered him and she tried to help him as best as she could because she loved him.

Richard and Andrea shared a look. They knew nothing of what had happened during their daughter's everyday life. They knew her favorite drink, book, meal, and subject. But they didn't know what she did when she woke up.

Did she still brush her teeth like a zombie in the morning? Was her hair still a mess after showers because she refuses to use conditioner? Did she still talk aloud when she read something she didn't understand?

It was heartbreaking for them. Their daughter was growing up and she wouldn't tell them things of the war she had fought in. Hermione wouldn't breathe a word about the torture she'd endured or the loneliness she felt after seeing people die during battle. So, they looked on eagerly, hoping that either she or Draco would speak up and tell them _something_.

Hermione shrugged and Draco saw the disappointment in her parents' eyes.

"Mother," he spoke, "Did you do anything about Olsen?"

Hermione's eyes widened as the name registered in her brain. Why was he bringing that up? Of all the things for her parents to hear about at a meal! She shot a pleading look at Draco which he seemed to ignore.

"Laurits Olsen." Narcissa's eyes narrowed and the room's other two older occupants frowned in confusion.

Who was this Laurits Olsen?

"I had his father kicked off the board in the company."

Hermione choked on her wine and quickly dabbed at her lips with a linen napkin in an attempt to save face. "You mean his whole family is going to suffer?"

Narcissa laughed lightly. "Oh, dear, I've been looking for an excuse to get rid of them for _years_. They're all bad news, the whole lot of them."

"If you don't mind me asking," Andrea piped in, "Who is Laurits Olsen? Why did you… dispose of him?"

Another pleading look was sent Draco's way, and he found his resolve dwindling. The veela in him didn't want to make her uncomfortable and the slightly pouty set of her lips was making it all the worse. But, the thing was, her parents deserved to know everything about their daughter. He knew well that Hermione was only worried for their safety. What she didn't know was that they were under the protection of the Malfoy family. No ex-Death Eaters were coming close to them. He'd left that little bit of information off, knowing that she'd throw a tantrum or something of the sorts.

"He's a seventh year in Slytherin who…." Hermione grappled for the right word. Saying he was a rapist was extreme, but saying he merely accosted her was too slight of an explanation. "He felt the need to be horribly rude to Draco and me during a presentation in Potions class."

The elder Granger's shared an exasperated look. "Hermione, you're being vague. Nothing you tell us, _nothing_, will make us think of you differently. You need to talk to us, darling."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and felt Draco's hand sooth her own cool one. She nodded slightly. "Draco and I were giving a presentation, as I said. It started with me cutting Draco." She looked slightly amused at the gaping looks on her parents' faces. "I needed some of his blood for the potion. And, you see, he heals fast. Draco told them that his veela blood is closely related to that of a vampire's because vampires heal quickly. Olsen... he said something about how he wouldn't spend his time on my blood, but rather my body." The look on her father's face went from shocked to well hidden anger.

It was another one of those taboo moments for Richard Granger. Sure, he knew that guys looked at his daughter. They'd been doing it since she turned thirteen. But he hated thinking about it, really. Part of him was thankful for Draco. The boy was obviously protective of her, so he, as a father, had less to worry about.

"Well, I'm glad he's gone." Hermione goggled at her normally docile mother.

Narcissa nodded in agreement.

"Hermione… What else has happened? Stop trying to protect us. Please. We want to know everything." Her father begged.

Draco squeezed her hand in encouragement and silently urged her on. This was why he had invited her parents over. He wanted her to open up to them because he knew they deserved that much. Pretty soon she would be off to university, and then a job, and then hopefully married to him. Hermione _was_ growing up as her dad had said. Growing up didn't necessarily have to mean growing apart, though.

"Well… Harry and Ginny finally got together this year…" Hermione teased, watching her parents roll their eyes. They could care less about the dating habits of her friends, and she knew it. "Ron and I had a bit of a falling out early in the year." Draco fought back a derisive snort. Falling out indeed.

"Well, how did it happen?"

Hermione grimaced. Telling her parents about Ron and Parvati's little game of tonsil hockey wasn't exactly a table-safe conversation. "I let myself be walked all over. I was doing his school work and Harry's too, sometimes. But I was starting to feel that it wasn't right. I finally cracked and he got angry at me." Hermione looked to Draco who nodded. "Draco kept things from getting too horrible. We didn't talk to each other until one night when I was doing rounds at night. He tried to… ah… _apologize_. But he was inebriated. It really wasn't much of an apology being that he… um… Bit my lip and was awfully rude." Now Draco did snort. His mother gave him a disparaging look and he promptly sobered up.

"Draco was there to help me." Hermione's hand pressed into his and she flashed him a smile. "But after my little… trip down the side of the Astronomy Tower, Ron came and asked for forgiveness the right way. I forgave him and that's that." She promptly ended the story and dug into her potatoes with a false sense of bravado. She knew well that all eyes were on her, but she chose to ignore everyone and focus on the delicious meal on her plate.

"Anything else?" Her mother urged her on with wide, innocently curious eyes.

"Honestly, no. This year hasn't been all that exciting," Hermione stopped eating and smiled a bit, "And I quite like it that way. No more chasing after pieces of a soul, no more looking over my shoulder." She laughed a bit and wondered if her parents thought she'd gone mad because she was laughing at nothing. It was just such a relief to feel _safe_ after the constant danger she'd been in since the age of eleven. There was finally a sense of freedom in the world, and she intended to soak it in for as long as possible. Sure, there were still ex-Death Eaters out there looking for her because of the large bounty hanging over her head. But Voldemort was gone and Draco would make sure she was safe.

"Pieces of a soul?" Richard inquired interestedly.

Hermione nodded. "Voldemort," no one flinched at the name, which surprised her, "split his own soul into seven parts. Harry, Ron and I had to destroy them in order to get rid of Voldemort. One of them was a diary from Tom Riddle who became Voldemort. The other Horcruxes were a ring from Marvalo Gaunt, Salazar Slytherin's ring, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, Voldemort's snake Nagini, and Harry himself." Her parents sat entranced by the things she was telling them. She'd never told them any of the things she'd had to do during the war. Never had a word been uttered about the trials she, Harry, and Ron had endured during their time in the forest. They only knew the basics; there was a war and she was a key part of it.

"We went from place to place in search of the Horcruxes, from the Forest of Dean, to Hogwarts."

"What about that time you were captured?"

Draco, Narcissa, and Hermione all stiffened at that seemingly innocent question. They all knew what happened when the Golden Trio had been captured. They knew where they went, what happened, and just _how_ horrible it had been.

Richard sensed the change in emotions and cocked his head to the side, inquisitiveness clear in his brown eyes. "Hermione, you've told us _of_ the capture, but not _about_ it. What really happened?"

Hermione breathed in deeply, a frown playing on her lips. Draco gave his mother a worried look which she returned.

"There were Snatchers out looking for Harry, Ron, and I. When they found us, they took us…" Hermione looked at Draco with sad, ghost-memory riddled eyes. "They took us here where many Death Eaters were. I cast a jinx on Harry so he didn't look exactly like himself because he was in the greatest danger and Voldemort would've loved to have him in his clutches." Her hand came up to Draco's cheek and he caught the look of admiration in her gaze. "They asked Draco if he recognized us and he didn't give us in. He saved me from being killed and Harry from becoming Voldemort's pet."

Draco didn't see it that way, really. He saw that moment as one of his worst. He had been a coward for not doing anything to help her. Sure, he hadn't known she was his Mate then, but she was still a blameless party then. She had screamed so loudly then that he'd thought his eardrums would burst. He had watched as she writhed on the ground like a fish out of water gasping for air. His aunt had been laughing like the deranged maniac she was; taking joy in torturing a 'mudblood'. The _Crucio_ hadn't been enough for her, though. Her little dagger had dug into his Mate's skin and brought up blood.

Blood that was the exact same color as his and his father's.

That had been a defining moment for Draco.

If Muggleborns had dirty blood, why did she bleed red? Why did she surpass him in every academic subject?

Why was she _pretty_?

Draco was dragged back from his horrible memories when Hermione pinched his arm rather painfully. "You're not blaming yourself, are you?" She gave him a pointed look, her dark almond eyes in a slight glare.

"No." Hermione didn't look convinced.

"Why would they have wanted to kill you? I thought they only wanted Harry because of that Prophecy." Andrea interjected. She really didn't know how close her daughter had come to dying. And on many occasions, at that.

"I was the best friend of the Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die. I was and still am the brains of the three of us. If I were gone, Harry and Ron would honestly be pretty lost." She didn't say it to be arrogant. It simply was the truth. "And, many Death Eaters wanted me dead simply because of my blood." Hermione put down her fork and looked at her lap.

"And because they were angry that you beat their children in every school subject." Draco supplied with a smile, trying to ward off the heavy weight the bad memories were bringing with them.

"Yeah, that has to be it." She rolled her eyes and grinned before giving him a kiss on the cheek in a sign of appreciation. All those bad memories were close to suffocating her.

There was the sound of a door opening and two maids came in and took away their plates. The head servant had a tray with smaller plates on it, each with a glass dish filled with a sweet smelling dessert.

Narcissa nodded her thanks to the manservant and he nodded back, a smile playing at the corners of his aged lips.

"This is a soft cake soaked in an Australian Semillon wine with white chocolate and American raspberries." Draco said, his dessert fork already plunged into the gooey, sweet mess. "It's one of mother's favorites." He looked to his mother who smiled fondly.

"Yes, when Draco was little he asked if he could have some of mine. I told him no because the alcohol content in it was too high for him to take." Narcissa mused fondly. "After that, I left and came back to find an entire thing gone. Poor little guy passed out after being sick."

Hermione laughed as she tried to imagine a tiny Draco stealing his mother's dessert and eating it all. It just seemed like something he would do; being that he was such a spoiled, petulant child.

The bad mood was instantly lifted from the room as each occupant focused on their dessert, not wars and torture.

oOo

"Bye, darling." Andrea hugged her daughter, her eyes tear-free because she knew she'd be seeing Hermione soon enough.

"Bye mum." Hermione pulled away from her mum and gave her dad a quick hug. She watched in amused fascination as Draco was pulled into a hug by her short mother. He didn't look all that surprised by the show of affection and returned her hug gently. There was a silent moment where Draco and her father shared what Hermione liked to call 'silent male communication'. No words were passed, but Draco nodded to the man and they shook hands.

Hermione turned back to Draco, watching as her parents grabbed handfuls of Floo powder and disappeared into the large stone fireplace. She let out a content sigh and rested her head on Draco's shoulder. "Thank you." She murmured.

"Of course." His arm tightened around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her temple, his eyes closed as he breathed in her scent deeply. Little moments like this made his abstinence somewhat bearable. "I have something waiting for you upstairs." He pulled her gently behind him. Hermione eyed him warily. Draco had already gotten her a gift. In fact, she was wearing the silver chained necklace right now. The little lion represented Gryffindor, or, as Draco said, her temper. She'd rolled her eyes then. The silver book inscribed with _'Hogwarts: A History' _was another one of Draco's little ideas of a joke. But she absolutely adored it all the more because the two charms symbolized her perfectly.

Hermione trailed her hand thoughtfully over the veined marble railing leading up the grand stairs. The Manor truly was beautiful once she got over the fact that it had been used to house the most evil wizard of her time. Everything had been redecorated by Narcissa who had wanted the mansion to resemble warmth and sunshine rather than darkness and foreboding. White and silvers were the main color scheme to the entire place, as well as gold, surprisingly.

Draco stopped at a door on the far end of the west wing. He nudged it open and Hermione sighed deeply.

The entire room smelled like Draco. Everything about it was perfectly tailored for his being, from the overstated silk bed sheets, to the large bookcases that showed off his lust for reading that rivaled her own. She moved to rifle through her drawer, feeling Draco come up behind her.

"Do you mind if I take a bath?" Hermione pulled out her trademark white robe and looked at him over her shoulder. His hands rested on the top of her shoulders and he leaned down to kiss the nape of her neck.

"If you must." Draco's tone was teasing, masking how serious he really was. She didn't need to know how hard it was for him to let her go for even a moment. Standing without her by his side felt so cold and desolate, even if she was only in the other room.

Hermione grabbed a pair of long silk sleep pants and a black camisole, before giving him a kiss and disappearing into the adjoined bathroom.

Now Draco sighed deeply. His hand came to the front pocket of his dark slacks where a box was nestled safely. He hadn't come up with the right time to ask her yet.

While he knew well that Hermione loved him, he wasn't sure how she'd react to an engagement ring. If she thought it too intimidating, would she back away?

Draco shook his head in a desperate attempt to rid his mind of all thoughts. If the word 'engagement' was too overwhelming to her, would she accept it as a token of how much he cherished her? He wanted nothing more than to show her her importance and how highly he thought of her.

He took out the box and carefully pinched the top lid to open it. The shiny metal and bright stone glinted even in the meager lighting of his bedroom. Draco smiled to himself, remembering the reaction Hermione's mother had had to the ring.

_(Flashback)_

Draco shuffled his feet, momentarily forgetting the years of training he'd had in showing complete composure. In all honesty, he was anxious and worried, and everything a boyfriend should be when asking his girlfriend's parents for her hand in marriage.

Richard looked him up and down and Draco knew well that the man was curious as to why he was visiting them without their daughter. Andrea came in with a tray of tea and an array of freshly made biscuits. She set them down and wiped her hands on her casual denim jeans. Her eyes met her husband's and they shared a look only married couples could.

"Why don't you sit down, Draco." He did so mechanically, seeming to be in his own little world. "Nothings' wrong, is there?" Draco shook his head, breathed in deeply, and finally reached the level of cool, calm collectedness that he had wanted.

"No, nothing is wrong." Draco fingered the box in his hand before clutching it in his palm like a mini lifeline. He let it channel his worry before it disappeared into the soft velvet box. He could do this. The worst they could was refuse. And if they didn't… He wasn't sure what he'd do. Hermione would most likely agree to marry him, but feel sad because her parents didn't approve. He wouldn't let that happen to her. He wanted her to be happy if she chose to marry him.

"My daughter isn't pregnant, is she?"

Draco gave Richard a weird look.

Honestly, what was it with that man and thinking he got Hermione with child?

"No… She isn't…" Draco paused as he stirred his tea with his spoon. "But the reason why I'm here has something to with that." He frowned to himself before looking back up from the utensil in his hand to Hermione's parents. "I want that with her someday." He saw the shock on their faces but didn't stop to let them speak, "I'm here to ask if you'd let me marry your daughter." Neither Granger looked as if they could speak, so Draco went on hastily.

"I originally got this," he opened the ring box and placed it on the table for her parents to see, "because I wanted to show Hermione how much she means to me. As you know, for me to live we're going to have to consummate our relationship." They seemed to snap out of their stupor at that last bit. "Because of that, I didn't want her to feel… _immoral_. Hermione's too good for anyone to see her as anything but virtuous person she is. But I don't want her to feel bad about giving herself away before marriage… because that's what she had intended all along. I want to respect that wish as much as I can."

"Do you feel obligated to ask her to marry you because you have to have sex outside of marriage?" Andrea asked quietly, her eyes fixated on the beautiful ring nestled safely inside of the box.

"No, not really. I want to ask her anyway. But I just think she'd appreciate me asking her before our consummation." Draco took a sip of his tea, surveying the married pair before him.

His mother and father had never been close like the Granger's were. They had been cold and detached from each other. He had pretty much been raised by his mother. She was the one who taught him the _real_ right from wrong and manners. Lucius hadn't been there, as a real husband or father should be. Draco had witnessed his mother being hurt by the sight of his father bringing home prostitutes and the like. He wanted to have a real marriage, like those in love had. He wanted to treat Hermione right, not degrade her as Lucius had done to his mother.

Andrea nodded and looked to her husband whose brows were knitted together in a show of concentration.

"What about university and a job and life? Is she going to have to jump right into being a housewife or a mother? Because I know she wouldn't want that."

"Hermione can go to any university she wants. I want her to do whatever she wants with her life," Draco thought for a moment, "except for being an Auror. I don't think I can really handle her being in so much danger. But if she goes to university then wants a job, I will support her choice. As for being a housewife… There really is no need for her to deal with the house. We have others to take care of all that. And my mother is still the Lady of the Manor until Hermione accepts the position." He breathed in deeply now, his eyes meeting Richards.

"I do want children with her someday. More than anything. But I will wait until she's ready. And I'm going to want her to myself for a bit, I think."

"Why do you want children so young? Men your age don't often think of children and a wife and the like." Andrea drew her finger on the lip of her mug, a small frown line forming between her brows.

"Because they would be a part of her and me together… And veelas have a mating instinct, to reproduce and such. I can't really help that bit."

Both Grangers nodded.

"If we say yes, can you promise us something?" Draco looked at Andrea warily. His inner Slytherin was telling him not to say yes. Promises manipulated you to someone else's advantage.

"Possibly."

"Can you make sure Hermione talks to us? I just want to see her more often and," Andrea took a deep breath, "and get to know her again." Richard nodded in agreement. They both missed their daughter so much. She was, as Draco had put so well, a piece of them. They loved her dearly and wanted to be more important parts of her life.

"I can do that." Draco stood to leave, knowing Hermione would be wondering where he had gone. Andrea stood as well, crossing over to him until she stood in front of him. She patted his face and gave him a motherly kiss.

"Give Hermione a kiss from me." Richard grimaced from his place behind his wife before giving Draco and swift handshake and a nod.

With that, he left.

_(End Flashback)_

The door opened and shut and Draco was shocked at how long he had just been sitting there thinking. He quickly snapped the box shut and shoved it into his pocket, looking up to see if Hermione had noticed it. Instead he saw her in the process of putting her hair in a plait. She noticed his glare at her fingers and promptly let the pieces of hair fall back naturally with a roll of her eyes.

He never let her keep her hair up for long.

Draco reached for her hand and pulled her close so she was standing right in front of him, between his legs. His hands slithered up her arms and to her shoulders before mapping out her torso where his thumbs grazed against the sides of her breasts then settling on her hips. He placed small kisses on her stomach, feeling the barrier of her clothing between his lips and her skin. How he wished it was his lips on her bare skin.

Hermione threaded her fingers into Draco's hair and watched as he closed his eyes in contentment and nuzzled her abdomen. There was a slight glimmering which made Hermione stiffen.

He wasn't crying, was he?

Her hand caught his chin and she felt him stiffen slightly under her imploring gaze.

Draco's eyes were dry.

So, what had that glimmer been?

Hermione turned his head and he willingly complied, his head following her gently guiding fingers. There was that flicker of shininess again. She frowned before realization dawned on her. Well placed glamour charms flickered just like that.

"Drop them." She requested quietly, watching as Draco reached for his wand to remove the charm. His hand moved as if he was under the _Imperious_. Which, in a way he was. His veela mind was weak against her when she ordered him to do something outright. He flicked it and a quick gasp was drawn from Hermione's lips. The area just underneath his eyes was startlingly dark, as if it had been bruised by someone's fist. She reached her hand out and stroked her thumb over the unnaturally dark skin. Draco didn't flinch like one would when someone touches a bruise. Instead he nestled against her palm like a small wounded animal would.

Another realization hit her.

This was _her_ doing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked quietly as she cupped his face in her hands. Tears welled in her eyes as her fingers periodically soothed the skin beneath his eyes as if the rubbing motions would somehow get rid of the obnoxious, hideous dark coloring.

"You don't need to worry about it." Draco said gruffly.

Hermione sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes and, with deft fingers, flung her shirt over her head. Her hands went back to Draco, this time resting on his neck, in the area where it met his shoulders. Her thumb guided his head up to look at her. His dark grey eyes slid up her body, widening as he took in her state of undress.

"Hermione, no…"

She ignored his protest. "Draco, you should have told me." Hermione chastised; happy that the tears in her eyes were dried up. They tended to make her look a whole lot less intimidating.

"Hermione, I can deal with it." His voice was hoarse as he attempted to keep his eyes locked on her face. It was proving to be impossible, seeing as her bra covered breasts were right in front of his face. His eyes drank in the golden tone to her skin and the beautiful round curve of her chest.

"I know you can." Hermione forced away the hot blush that fought to cover her face. _'Gryffindor courage.' _She chanted in her mind as her hands moved gently up his shoulders and then knotting in his somewhat mussed blonde locks. "But you shouldn't have to." Draco looked ready to speak, but she didn't let him, "I've been selfish about this, Draco. How long has it been since you really slept?"

Draco turned his grey eyes away; like a petulant child refusing to answer their teacher.

"How long?" Hermione demanded; her fingers no longer gentle in his hair. Rather, they yanked his head up so he was now meeting her gaze. "Tell me."

"Since October."

She couldn't help the unbidden sob-gasp that left her lips. "Oh, Draco." Hermione wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders and he rested his head against her warm upper body. "You really should have told me. I'm sorry." She knew well what type of things veelas went through when they weren't close enough to their mates. They suffered insomnia, moodiness, and distractedness. She hadn't seen Draco exhibiting any of those. She had thought that he fell asleep along with her each night, but apparently not. He had been awake and watching as she slept the night away so selfishly.

Draco let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling of her supple bosom beneath his ear. He wanted nothing more than to kiss that skin, to leave marks on her skin that would show his ownership of her body and being.

"You can touch me, you know." Hermione said, her words answering his silent longing. Draco looked up and saw nothing but truthfulness in her chocolate eyes.

"Hermione…" She thought he was going to start refusing again, but he held up a hand, motioning for her to wait while he got his bearings. "Before we do anything, I have something I want to give you." Hermione frowned. She had already gotten her Christmas presents. What was he talking about? Draco stood up, his body suddenly towering over her much shorter frame. His hands gently pushed her onto the bed where she took a seat. Draco knelt down in front of her so that their heights were more equal. One of his hands held onto hers and the other was closed around something.

Hermione's curiosity grew.

"I love you, you know that, right?" She nodded; the gears in her brain working overtime to figure out where he was going with this. "I have something for you and something I want to ask you. Just hear me out, alright?" Hermione nodded again.

Draco opened his palm and inside it was a velvet covered jewelry box. Her breath caught for a moment. She knew what was happening now.

Draco let one of his hands move up to her face where he stroked her cheek with his knuckles, his eyes noticing the understanding in her dark irises. "I want to ask you to marry me, Hermione. But I know that marriage or even engagement may seem a bit… daunting. If it is, then I still want you to have this ring." He paused for a moment before going on. "I wanted you to have something to show you how much I respect and love you. I wanted you to see that I'm not trying to disregard the things you believe in and want. I don't want you to feel bad about having to have sex before marriage, because I know you wanted to wait. This ring, even if you don't accept it as an engagement ring, can signify our bond to each other. If you say yes to marriage, we can wait for as long as you'd like." Draco took a deep breath and looked up at Hermione, his fringe brushing over his eyes in an endearing manner. The open box rested in his palm, now open so she could view the unbelievably pretty ring inside of it. "So, Hermione will you marry me? I promise you everything I have." His hand cupped her face, the tips of his fingers under her ear while his thumb stroked her cheek.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek. Getting engaged so young was common in the wizarding world… But she'd never thought it would happen to her. And Draco had said they could wait for as long as she wanted. She knew that he would let her pursue a career or uni first if she wanted. So that was why she said, "Yes."

A wide grin broke out on Draco's face, the sudden happiness there seemed to make him all the more attractive. Even the bruise-like marks under his eyes seemed to fade from the light of his smile.

Draco leaned up and kissed her lips excitedly. Hermione laughed a bit at his boyish attitude, her fingers curling in his hair so their kiss could deepen.

Once they pulled apart Draco took the ring out of the box and took Hermione's hand. She gasped as it slid on and instantly resized so it was perfect for her finger. She tilted her hand from side to side and watched as the light caught on the diamond. Hermione took Draco's hand and placed it over her heart, her own smaller one on top of it. The coolness of the metal of her ring felt perfect on his skin; the way it was meant to be. His eyes darkened as he finally noticed the proximity of his hand to her breasts. He looked up at her and she nodded, her lips quirked in a nervous little smile.

Draco kissed her again and they both let the kisses lead to touching.

…

Needless to say, Draco slept very well that night.

oOoOo

A/N: Please leave a review! I know I don't deserve one after the ridiculous amount of time I made you guys wait… But, hey, a reader's got to eat.


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